Hjacked
by WitBeyondMe123
Summary: You've seen Katniss's POV, now see Peeta's thoughts as he is taken to his certain death, set on fire, in a pack with the careers and filled with hallucinations. All to keep his tribute partner safe and alive. No spoilers for CF/MJ, Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: MY new story, enjoy :)**

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><p>I am awaken by violent shakes. I open my eyes to find my brothers faces right above me. I stay still for a moment, until shock surges through my body and my forehead collides with Rye's eye and lower forehead. He deserves it after waking me up.<p>

"Sheesh Peets, if I knew I would get a black eye from keeping you from being late to work, I would have gotten Graze to do it by himself." At least I get some satisfaction from that.

Graze topples over in a fit of contagious laughter, he must think he is off the hook. Not a chance. I pretend to go into a fit of laughter as well until I fall of the side of my bed. Straight onto Graze. He answers with a loud grunt, and I just say:

"That is what you get for waking me up like that. Lesson learned?" He and Rye nod in response, no one wakes me up.

My head shoots up when mother comes barging through the door shouting:

"Get up you lazy pigs and get back to work! Busiest day of the year! No time to be fooling around. Rylee, Peeta you need to get ready for the reaping in 4 hours, work hard enough and I'll let you have warm water!" This makes me shoot up towards my dresser. We only get warm water on the day of the reaping and on birthdays, no one risks losing our special privilege.

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><p>Great. The reaping. I only have four slips, but I'm still nervous as hell. My hands shake as I knead the bread dough, the thing that usually calms me has no effect today. Not when my life could be at stake.<p>

Only 730 days to my last reaping, then I'll be home free. If I make it until then that is. I could always get chosen, win, live in a big house without having to work, no more reapings and I'll get the bravery to ask Katniss out. But it is impossible for _me _to win. The only ones I think could win the Hunger Games are: Katniss or that Hawthorne guy that hunts with her. I wish I could be the one who hunts with her.

No. I must not get distracted, I wouldn't want to over-knead the bread and lose my warm water privileges now would I?

I jump when someone touches my shoulder. "Easy son," It's my dad, "daydreaming again?" I nod in reply, "Well I just wanted to say its your turn for the bath. But first I stole some fresh bread out for you and Rye, here." he hands me half a loaf of still steaming nut and raisin bread. Like the one I gave Katniss on that day when we were 11.

"Thanks Dad. It means a lot to me, wouldn't want faint from hunger would I?" He just nods at my lame attempt to lighten the mood. Good going Peeta.

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><p>I run up the stairs two steps at a time, looking forward to feeling the warm water. I get in and clean up, once out, much to my disappointment, I get changed into the nicest clothes I have, a hand-me-down shirt and beige trousers.<p>

I go downstairs and mother gels back mine and Rye's hair so we can both see. My brother gets to stay as he is since he is 20 and is no longer eligiable for the reaping, lucky. Not only has he never been reaped, but none of his friends have either. Whereas my best friend Xander got chosen last year, he got to the final two, something which rarely happens. I thought he would be coming back, only to be torn to pieces by a career tribute from district two.

Rye is bouncing on the balls of his feet. As much as he is nervous, he is excited by the fact that if he isn't chosen this year, he will not be able to be reaped ever again since he will be 19. I wish I were in his place, or better yet Graze. But unfortunately not, I still have 3 more reapings including this one. I just hope the odds stay in my favour for all of them.

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><p>We arrived and we all go our seperate ways, after saying good luck numerous times to each other. I sign in at the 16 year old section and take my place. Right behind Katniss. I think about wishing her good luck as well, but decide against it as before I know it the mayor is tapping the microphone to grab our attention. But before I turn to look at him I witness a glance shared between Katniss and Hawthorne. Eugh.<p>

Mayor Undersee preceeds to welcome us and start his boring speech, one I've heard every year for 16 years. It gets tiresome. Not listening to him at all, I look at Katniss clenching and unclenching her fists a few times, I just wish I could pry them open and hold them. But that would be a bit creepy, seeing as she probably doesn't even know my name.

I'm taken out of the my thoughts when Haymitch, District twelves only remaining _living_ victor, but as usual he is dead drunk and ends up collapsing on the stage, or should I say collasping on Effie, revealing her pink hair as being a wig. At least she has some sense.

The Mayor seemingly destressed sits down after introducing our district escort. Regaining her composure, Effie Trinket graces the stage with the most annoying clicks of her overly high heels.

I resist covering my ears when she speaks in her Capitol accent, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever_ in your favour!" She carrys on saying things like 'It is a pleasure to be here' when we know she would do anything to be bumped up to one of the career districts.

"Ladies first!" She says as she moves to the glass ball on her left. I see Katniss tense up at these words. _Please don't be her. Please don't be her_. Effie reaches into the ball and grabs the first slip that comes in contact with her fingers. She lifts it out and unfolds it. _Please don't be Katniss. _

"Primrose Everdeen!"

And it isn't, it's her sister.

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><p>I turn towards the 12 year old section and see Prim walking towards the stage, her eyes getting shinier by the second. I only stop watching her when I hear a shout from in front of me.<p>

Katniss.

"Prim! Prim!" She runs to the front and pushes Prim behind her, almost as if to protect her. Please don't tell me she is going to volunteer.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" Damn it Katniss.

I can't believe Katniss, the love of my life is going to be competing to the death in the arena. I risk breaking down at the thought.

Effie carrys on none the less, "Lovely. But I believe there is a matter of..." No one has volunteered in District twelve my whole life and Effie was only hired when I was 8, so I'm not suprised she doesn't know what to say. There is an awkward silence until the Mayor stands up and says,

"What does sit matter, just let her volunteer!" I see a hint of recognition in his eyes, how does he know Katniss?

Prim is screaming "Katniss! No, Katniss you can't go!" and grabbing her like a vice.

"Prim let go." I hear Katniss tell her, but Prim still holds on for her life. Katniss's grey eyes are getting glassier and is obviously trying not to cry. And she stays that way until Hawthone picks Prim up and says,

"Up you go Catnip." I can tell he is trying to hold it together, for Prim's, or Katniss's sake for that matter. I can see why, Katniss is obviously trying to stay strong. Effie Trinket looks so confused, it would be amusing if it was due to a different situation.

Effie Plasters a smile on her face and asks for her name. Katniss replies in a distant voice and I can't help but wonder what she is thinking about.

"Bravo! That is the spirit of the games! I bet my buttons that was your sister!" Katniss just nods. How can Effie be so happy at such a sad site. The Capitol must just have no feelings towards others.

"Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on everybody! Lets give our new female tribute a big round of applause!" Their answers are silence. But I do something unexpected and I put my 3 middle fingers up in front of me. An old funeral ritual to say goodbye to someone, to my suprise everyone in the crowds join in.

This moving display is interuptted by the drunk Haymitch, who says,

"Look at this one. I mean just look at her, she has er.. what is it? Ah, yes! Spunk! Thats it she has spunk! Unlike you, or you, or you!" He is pointing at the camera now. What a looney. He ends up pointing so much he topples headfirst into the concrete in front of the stage and he is swiftly taken away by paramedics on a stretcher.

Effie returns to the podium, "What an exciting day! Onto the boys." I tense up as she grabs the life of one boy in her hand.

I turn to stone as she says, "Peeta Mellark!" I'm going into the Hunger Games. With Katniss Everdeen.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, I know the first chapter was a little shaky, just so much was happening in it. I promise I'll try improve as much as I can, and I hope this chapter is slightly better than the last! I know I'm not perfect, especially with this being my first fanfic, but I'm trying! Thanks x :D**

**Chapter 2: Final Goodbyes**

This can't be happening, first the girl I've loved my whole life gets chosen, and now _I _get chosen. I can feel my jaw lowering, my face must be looking hilarious right now. But to me, this is the most horrible moment of my life. _Why me?_

I can feel someone nudging me towards the stage,_ why? Why is this happening?_ One step feels like a mile, and every time, it feels one mile closer to my certain death.

Way to cheer myself up.

When I get on stage I try to keep as calm of a look as I can, but I see Katniss staring at me, she's a hunter, and she must know what fear looks like, extremely well for that matter. I know that's what my eyes must look like..._fearful. For my life._

A few moments later, Effie grabs our hands, places them together and shouts "Please welcome the corageous new tributes of district twelve, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, May the odds be _ever_ in your favour!"

_Well, I hope, they haven't been very favourful as of late._

As I shake Katniss's hand, I give her a resuring squeeze, she squeezes back, I wonder if the love of my life will enjoy watching me die.

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><p>Peacekeepers guard us as we're taken into the Justice building to say our final goodbyes. Let me guess, my mother, my father and my brothers will be here, I don't think any of my friends will come, none of them and I have a great connection, just some friendly chit-chat, nothing special. Except for Xander of course.<p>

I wonder who Katniss will be visited by, her mom and Prim, Hawthorne. Does she have any major friends? I see her hanging out with Madge sometimes. I wonder if she'll come see her.

Why am I thinking about her right now, I need to think of a game plan. Appear as a weakling? Pretend to be tougher than I am? Join the careers, everyone would hate me if I did that, I wouldn't be allowed back in this town again, but I probably wont survive anyway, what if...

I'm overthinking. I need to focus on saying my goodbyes, if I cry I'll cry, if I don't I don't, why should I care what they think. I'll have plenty of time in the next week to think of a game plan, now I have to focus on not going insane, they'll put me in no matter what condition I'm in, I could be half paralyzed, just laying on the ground, such an easy target, and the Capitol wouldn't care. They would most likely find it funny and entertaining.

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><p>I'm sitting on a velvet couch in a plum red room, when my father walks in, probably the only person I truly trust, yet my throat drys up suddenly and no words are able to come out.<p>

"Hi son, how you feeling" he pats me on the back and says in a sympathetic tone. Yet still nothing comes out, "I understand your shock, you take all the time you need." My father was always the calm one in the family. I give him a curt nod, then finally do something, cry. He continues patting my back in a slightly reassuring but also slightly awkward way. But I still appreciate it greatly.

"You can do it you know, you can win, your strong, and likeable you could maybe form an alliance with someone, you can handle a knife and I bet your good with hand-to-hand combat, you can come back, and we'll have open arms to you, we always will, I love you son." This just makes me cry more, he brings me into a hug. I start to joke around,

"Who will want to form an alliance with the boy who crys half the time" He gives a quick laugh, I join in to, "Thanks dad, I love you too." It's true I do love him probably the most in my family, he is the closest thing I have to a _living_ best friend, I'll miss that.

A peacekeeper comes in "Sorry sir, your time is up" my father gives me a quick hug and squeezes my hand. Just before he is out of the door, I say,

"Bye Pa, I'll miss you" He nods, it's the full truth, _I will miss him, greatly._

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><p>Next to come in, is, my <em>mother<em>. What lecture will she give me now. I'm taken by suprise when she gives me a hug, which seems quite genuine. My mother has never, _ever showed any sign of affection, what's up with her?_

"What are you so happy about" I say when I realise she's got a slight smile her face.

"Just thinking we may finally have a victor this year" Did I just hear this right? She thinks I can win?  
>"She's a survivor, <em>she is!"<em> She's not talking about _me, she's talking about KATNISS! I finally thought my mother loved me, but nope, nope, not in this lifetime!_

"Could you go now ma?"I say with my voice rising in anger, she just stares back at me, disgusted, but she soon realises I mean it and leaves, doesn't even look back, despicable.

Rylee and Graze quickly walk over to the sofa opposite me. Rye's the first to talk, "Tough going bro, we know it'll be hard, but promise us you'll try?" I nod not looking at them fully, just a few quick glances, but I feel their eyes piercing through my body, Graze is the next to talk,

"We'll miss you bro, we'll keep your bed made, but when you come back you won't need it, you'll be living in the victors village in a month or two, I know it!" This lifts my spirits enough to stop crying, Graze was definatly the best speaker in the house, better than both me and Rylee.

"Thanks, Graze, Rylee, I promise I'll try." I say while alternating glances between the both of them. They nod, I nod back, we just sit there in silence until the peacekeeper comes along, they both give me a hug, once them and the peacekeeper are out, I start balling my eyes out, knowing this may be one of the last precious moments when I'm not televised twenty-four-seven.

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><p>At 3.30pm, the peacekeepers lead us out, I see Katniss, she almost looks bored, how could she not of cried? She's the head of her family, and she has to leave them to their own defences, how will <em>they<em> survive? I know if that it was _my_ case, I would of cried a lot more than I already have. I mean look at me, I can see myself on the screen, my eyes are all puffy and red and the occasional tear is still coming out. Just a few more minutes and then I'll be in my own room, room to cry, maybe even speak a little to Katniss for the first time in my life.

Whilst the reporters are taking our photos, and asking us questions which no one replies to, the only thing I focus on is Katniss. How beautiful she looks is her blue dress, I don't know where she got it from.

I think of how her family is going to survive without her. Her sister is so small, she must not know how to hunt yet. Katniss's situation is a lot harder than mine, if I die, sure my family would be sad but they'll survive. Whereas without Katniss, they are not _able _to survive.

When the doors finally close we are lead to our rooms, mine is just a few down from Katniss's, Effie tells me I can do whatever I like until dinner. So I take a quick shower, a shower is even better than I imagined, like warm rain. I just chuck on some clean clothes I find in a draw and make my way to the dining cart. I see Effie patiently waiting for me, us, and smiles when she sees me.

"We'll just wait for Katniss to come, and we'll begin to ea-" She is just about to finish her sentence when Katniss comes in, I see she's done the exact same thing as me, her hair is wet so that's what I can assume, she still looks bored though, does this whole thing have _no_ effect on her?

Now I see what's going through her head, I see her staring at the servers coming in with plates of food on their hands. To be honest if I wasn't looking at Katniss I would have that exact same look on my face, it looks like nothing I have ever seen before!

Effie asks "Where's Haymitch?" Obviously glad he's not here.

"Last time I saw him he was dead drunk in his room." I replied.

"Well it's been an exhausting day!"she says whilst eyeing Katniss, who still not portraying _any _emotion on her face.

The strange dinner consits of: a thick carrot soup, green salad, lamb chops and mashed potato, cheese and fruit and finally, a velvety chocolate sponge. During every course Effie keeps on reminding us to save room as there is more too come, but I don't care what she says, I'm just stuffing myself to the brim, I've never even imagined food like this! It's the best food I've ever tasted!

"At least you too have decent manners, I swear! Last years tributes obviously had NEVER heard of a knife and fork!" She's says in her aggravating Capitol accent, I want to reply "_Do manners really matter when your about to die!" _But I don't mention it, worried my dry humor wouldn't be apprecitated greatly.

Once I've finished my food, both me and Katniss look a little_ unwell_, maybe I should of listened to Effie, but it's a little hard to when she speaks in such an annoying voice! I mean seriously?

Both me and Katniss aren't used to eating such rich food, I'm used to the feeling of having an _empty_ stomach but a full stomach? Never in my life have I been full! Especially not _this _full.

When everything has been cleared we go into a different room to watch the Reapings. We see the Capitol seal and it starts with District one, both eighteen year olds, called Marvel and Glimmer. Obviously careers, District one are _always_ careers, along with Districts two and four. District two, are the ones everyone's going to fear. The male tribute is a monster called Cato and the female tribute is a sly looking girl called Clove.

Most of the other names escape me. Although District eleven are having a special year, a 6'5 eighteen year old called Thresh, he looks scary and has an ox like build, but has something likeable about him.  
>Although, that's nothing compared to the female tribute, so small, she looks ten but I know she must be twelve, and her name is Rue.<br>Her big, brown eyes just feel like their piercing you through the television, she won't survive very long, she doesn't have a protective older sister to volunteer for her. There isn't even just strong willed eighteen year old, willing to volunteer. They just stand there, watching, in silence. With only the strong wind volunteering for her.

I finally get to see what happens when Prim gets reaped, now I really am wondering how Katniss keeps a straight face. I glance back at her, and I can tell her face is breaking. Maybe she thinks that if she looked weak, she'd be an easy target and that I'd try to kill her. Although if it came to it, I'd rather she kill me then I kill her. I wouldn't have the heart to do it. I just wouldn't. Ever. I love her.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey Everybody! Thanks you if you're reading this! I know this chapter is shorter than the first two *Ducks rotten fruit*, because it is basically just Peeta on the train! Thanks for the reviews I try to take everything in! Keep on reviewing keep on reading, and I shall try to update everyday, but sometimes it will be at least once every 3 days! Thanks x :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, plots, locations etc.**

**P.S Have you seen the new full length Hunger Games trailer? It's Awesome! Watch it!  
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><p>We see Haymitch fall of the stage, and Effie just grunts in disgust "Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behaviour!" I reply with a laugh, Katniss is now staring at me with those grey eyes of hers<p>

"He was drunk. He's drunk every year"

Katniss adds "He's drunk everyday!" Well it's true, now we're both quietly laughing, Effie just stares at me and Katniss with horror.

"Yes, I'm glad you two find it so amusing that your mentor is in such a drunken state, because he _is _your _only_ lifeline in the arena" That shut us up! For the time being at least, it isn't easy to stop when it comes to Haymitch.

As if right on queue Haymitch stumbles in "I miss dinner?" he mumbles, we all nod, "Oh, too bad", he unexpectantly vomits all over the train's expensive carpet, then slips in his own puke,

"Well laugh away!" Effie than storms out of the room, as if we have some aggreement me and Katniss half-lift half-drag Haymitch to his room, once I turn the shower on, "You can go back to your room" I say to Katniss, she nods, with obvious relief on her face,

"I can go get a Capitol assitant for you." she tells me, "No. I can handle it" She gives a curt nod and turns around, then walks away. I quickly throw Haymitch into his shower and I give him a quick scrub, with his under clothes still on, not naked! Put him into some fresh pajamas and tuck him into bed.

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><p>I walk back to my room, put on my own pajamas then head into bed, I dream about my family, but not our messed up family, a nice one, technically the same dad and two brothers but my mum is a lot nicer, but I realize the reason she's happier is because, <em>I'm not there. <em>Maybe it would be best if I didn't return, and Katniss won, she could bring the food and riches back to district twelve, and my family would be much happier.

No.

I don't care what my mother wants, I'm going to try to win whether she likes it or lot, why should I try to please her, when she has never even shown an ounce of kindness to me. She doesn't deserve to be thought of, and to even think about what she would want is crazy. _I'm _the one who got chosen, _I am._ She can think about whatever she likes, but for once it's about me, not her. I think I just thought of a Gameplan. Do what ever it takes to live, or even do whatever it takes to keep Katniss alive, with her family and all, she deserves to go back home. District 12_ wil _have a winner this year.

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><p>I wake up at 5am and can't seem to fall back to sleep, so I decide to explore the train. When I walk past Effie's room I hear some footsteps and realize she's woken up. I start to slowy walk away but she opens it before I'm out of eyeshot.<p>

"Peeta!" she exclaims, "What are you doing awake? You have a big, big day tommorow, trust me, you need all the rest you can get!" I nod and go back to my room, my dreams are then haunted by nightmares. Nightmares about me killing that twelve year old, then Katniss killing _me._

I know Katniss doesn't know me but,

_Wait, she does know me, from that day when we were kids when-_

No, she doesn't remember that, I do but that is because I've had a crush on her since I was 5yrs old, I payed any and all forms of attention to her whereas, to her, I was just a bakers son, who had a few friends, who she didn't know the name of. Whereas I knew everything about her. _But not in a stalker way!_ I know all this stuff from my dad who was good friends with her mother. Well, _was_. Before she ran off with Katniss's dad.

At 7am Effie comes in screaming in my ear "Get up! It's gonna be a big big day!" For some reason this reminds me of a much nicer, _and bubblier,_ version of my mother waking me up in the morning. Except, I've never slept in _this _late before, half an hour later than I usually do, but I'm still tired, probably because I didn't sleep as well. Probably only got 4-6 hours, a lot less than my usual 8.

I get in the shower and put some clean clothes on. I then make my way to the dining cart, I can hearing Effie screaming "Wake up!" at Katniss, I can't help but smile a little, I hear Katniss reply with a grunt. She hasn't said much since the reaping, and probably won't say much today either. Maybe she's going for that murderous and quiet type that a lot of the career tributes take up. Except, she doesn't look like a career, so for her it looks a little odd. So no one would take her seriously, whereas the guy, Thresh I think? From district eleven, he suits that role _perfectly!_ Which would make him even scarier, is that even possible? Well, personally, I don't want to find out.

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><p>I reach the dining cart to find Haymitch, looking drunk like always. On the table, he is drinking from a bottle of wine I think, and next to him is some kind of black liquid, wait I recognise it, it's coffee, on some reapings my father would buy a bag, though I never really liked it, so I don't grab a cup for myself. One of the waiters brings me a cup of another type of brown liquid, but I don't recognise this. I take a sip, and the warmth immeditely hits the back of my throat, and it tastes good. I gulp the whole thing down even though it's burning my throat, I immediately ask for another cup, I drink this one slightly slower and I dip chunks of bread into it.<br>_Perfect, _this is the best I've felt since the reaping.

"Hey" I stare up to find Katniss staring down at me, I can tell she's checking out my Hot Chocolate, well at least that's what the waiter called it.

"They call it Hot Chocolate, it's good!" I slide a cup over to her and once she has swallowed it I see her getting the warmth, the one I felt when I first drank it. She finishes the whole thing quicker than me!

We both then help ourselves to the breakfast platter being laid in front of us, we're both quietly eating and sipping our hot chocolates. Katniss finishes her meal and sits back, I can feel her staring at Haymitch and I.  
><em>What is she thinking?<em> I wish I could understand what goes through her mind, it would make talking to her _so _much easier. Before this I thought I was good at reading peoples thoughts!

Katniss breaks the silence by asking Haymitch a question "So your supposed to give us advice." I breakaway from my food to listen in on this conversation, Haymitch replies in a matter of a few seconds,

"Here's some advice: stay alive!" He suddenly bursts out laughing, I pretend to laugh with him, Katniss stares at me with shock, I then say,

"Haha, that's very funny!" I swipe his glass so it crashes dramatically on the floor "Only not to us!". This infuriates Haymitch, he punches me in the jaw so hard I fall on the floor, as I get up I can see him reaching for his bottle, but katniss sticks a knife inbetween his fingers and the bottle, only centimetres from his fingertips. He sits back and squints at us.

"Well, what is this. Do I actually have some fighters this year?" Haymitch says.

I begin to scoop some ice from a bowl, when Haymitch stops me in my tracks,  
>"No, let the bruise show. The audience will think you mixed with another tribute before you have even entered the arena." This doesn't really take me by suprise but I reply anyway,<p>

"Isn't that against the rules?"

"Only if you get caught!" Haymitch starts laughing again, he stops as he turns to Katniss,

"Can you hit anything with that knife besides the table?" Katniss replies by throwing the knife inbetween two panels on the wall. W_ow she's good with a knife as well?_

"Stand over there both of you." Haymitch starts prodding us and mumbling words to himself. I can't hear what he's saying, even if I could I wouldn't want to hear it anyway. Who knows what goes through that nutters head.

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><p><strong>REVIEW! P<strong>**lease and Thanks! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay I'm not going to bore you with a long A/N but I would like to personally thank Shootingstarsandjaybirds for the wonderful review. It's reviews like that, which really want me to keep on going! Thanks X :D**

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><p>"Do I actually have a pair of fighters this year?" Not knowing if this a rhetorical question, I keep quiet and so does Katniss. Haymitch gestures for us to sit down.<p>

"Listen, if you don't interfere with my drinking, I promise I'll stay sober enough to get you out of there alive, alright?" Katniss and I both nod our heads in shock, Haymitch sober? This can't be possible, never in my life have I seen him sober. Well, this deal is better than him being dead drunk half the time.

"Also," He continues "Your not going to like what the stylists will do with you, but you must follow their instructions. I don't want to hear a single complaint, alright?" Great, they obviously have something either painful or extremely embarassing for us to wear. _I can't wait to see what it is!_

Our tributes are always in the most horrendus outfits, either naked covered in coal dust or in skimpy outfits with headlamps, let's just say, District 12 rarely get many sponsers, if any at all. They all fall head over heels for the careers, in lushious outfits made by the best stylists the Capitol has to offer, whilst we get the amateurs or the plain pathetic ones.

Me and Katniss both nod, not knowing what they'll do to us. I'm just hoping we're not naked.

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><p>We finish our hot chocolates, and we are free to do whatever we like, I decide to go to the T.V room, I never watch T.V at home, mostly becasue it is rubbish. I obviously <em>have <em>to watch the Hunger Games, but other than that, our chunk of metal just stays in the corner of the living room.  
>It just sits there collecting dust for the rest of the year.<p>

The Capitol actually has a decent amount of channels, dead stupid, but neverless something to do. They have 'quiz' T.V shows where citizens answer questions and do stupid things to compete for a money prize. Whilst District 12 die of starvation and poverty. You'd think they would be able to spare a couple cents for us, since these people win millions at a time.

Fed up with how stupid they all are I go to another channel, a cooking show!

Really? We're here with megre grain supplies and stale bread, whilst they learn how to cook a 'Thanksgiving dinner' what even is that? Thanks that they're the only place who can afford to have children without having the possibility of them fighting to their death?

I decide to go ask Effie what it is, then I realise she wasn't at breakfast, I decide I'll ask her that as well. I knock on the door, and it opens revealing a bubbly as ever Effie Trinket, "Peeta!" she squeals.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was just watching some T.V and found a cooking show, what's thanksgiving?" She looks at me as if that is the stupidest question she's ever heard, but she still answers.

"Well Peeta, thanksgiving is an old hoilday they had before Panem, where they would pay their thanks for er... something, and they would have Turkey, potatoes and gravy usually, us Capitol citzens love any excuse for a festive dinner, so we thought we'd carry the tradition on!" She smiles in delight.

"While we starve, you learn how to cook fancy dinners, which we can't even afford to dream about, right?" I ask, this makes Effie confused, and I can see she is finding this little talk awkward so she tries to hurry the conversation up,

"Did you want to ask about anything else?" she says with hope in her face.

"Actually, one more thing," Her face drops "Why weren't you at breakfast?" Her face lights up again, probably glad I didn't ask anything crazy.

"I heard you two talking with Haymitch and didn't want to bother you, so I ordered my breakfast to my room." She points to her tray, happy with her answer, I nod and start to turn away when I hear the lunch bell, well finally I'm starving!

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><p>Effie quietly follows behind me, we sit down and are served an array of dishes, something they call Spaghetti Bolognese, Meatloaf, a caesar salad, Prawn cocktail and a sampler of at least 10 different desserts. The only good thing about the Capitol, the food.<p>

How something can taste so good, I don't know. Haymitch and Effie finally seem to be getting along, since he is slightly more sober, he's harsh but a lot nicer sober. They try to involve me and Katniss in conversations, I don't mind and so I happily carry on, but Katniss just answers quickly and carrys on eating.

The train suddenly rids of any natural lighting coming in, with the artificial light being the only source left, we must be entering the tunnels under the mountains to the Capitol. Probably only an hour or so left till we arrive.

I see Katniss tensing up, most likely reminded of the mines her father died in. Can't exactly blame her, she's probably claustrophobic, I wouldn't be suprised. Her father _was_ blown to pieces. I feel so sorry for her, seeing her like this breaks my heart.

Haymitch and Effie say something about getting ready, and when the train suddenly starts to get a shining light through the window. Both me and Katniss run up to the window to find the Capitol literaly shimmering.  
>People on the streets recognise the train and start waving, Katniss looks disgusted at me so I explain my actions.<p>

"Who knows one of them could be rich and sponsor us." She still looks disgusted at me. You can't say I didn't try.

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><p>My prep team- Iris, Veronica and Xaiver - are rubbing me down with some sort of painful acidic substanse, when I ask them what's it for, they tell me that it stops any hair growing. Thinking back to previous games, the male tributes have never grown a beard. It all starting to makes sense.<p>

They shave any already existing hair, then throw me in a shower. It's only a few minutes until I meet my stylist. When I get out they blowdry my hair and comb it, getting all the knots out, I rarely comb my hair, so it hurts quite a bit and I wince a few times, but they're just babbling to each other, so they don't notice it.

"Wow, you look very handsome Mr. Mellark, all the Capitol girls will want a piece of you!" Veronica says whilst squeezing my shoulder, _I sure hope not!_

"Yes, Portia will be happy with you, very strong, good build. Well done team!" Xaiver the 'team leader' shrieks an hugs his team, I wince purely by how high his voice is.

They take my robe off - stark naked, _great - _and leave me waiting for five minutes until my stylist comes in. Wow, she's actually quite pretty, no alterations, no crazy outfits, just a rose tattoo on her wrist. God, I wish I had my robe on right now. At least it doesn't seem to faze her.

"Hi, I'm Portia I'll be your stylist." Portia, Portia, I wrack my brain, and try to place her, until I realise that the reason I haven't seen her before is because she must be new.

"Is this your first year as a stylist for the games, I haven't seen you before. Sorry you got placed in district 12." I say,

"Me and my partner Cinna, your friend's stylist, asked for district 12. We have an idea, that no one has used before. You can put your robe on and we will have lunch." She has a slight smirk whilst saying that. Once my robe is on she leads me to another room.

"Wow, it's stunning" The view in here is much better than the train's, a whole wall is dedicated to be a window, where I can see the sparkle and shine of the capitol.

"I know, the people may not be the nicest but the view sure is inspiring" I can tell that I'll like Portia, she nice and unlike the typical Capitol stereotype, and her smile is the most comforting thing I've seen since my name was called.

She gestures me to sit down on the couch opposite her, she presses a button that reveals our meal, I can hardly make head or tail of it, but the taste is amazing. The dessert is better than everything we had on the train, it tastes like honey and spices.

Once we've finished Portia speaks,"Right, so about your costume, we are not intrested in the whole coal miner get up, or the coal itself, we are intrested in what happens to the coal." She eyes the burns on my arms and continues, "You should be used to fire by now right?" _Great._

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><p><strong>He he he, I loved Portia I thought she was AWESOME! And yet she was barely in the books! :(<strong>**  
><strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! **

**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!**

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><p>My guess is correct. I get put in a coal black leotard and Portia explains to me that she plans on setting it on fire, my face drops to a similar expression to when I got reaped. She just laughs and leads me to the stables with the horses and chariots. <em>Well this should be interesting.<em> I'm glad to see Katniss in the exact same thing. She's got the exact same cape and headress as me. At least I won't burn alone.

No one is talking, it's eerily quiet. Everyone is just standing on their chariots not saying a word. And before we know it, a Capitol assitant is calling out "District one, take places district one!" Glimmer and Marvel are already standing on the chariots, led by pure white horses, their district supplies luxury items to the Capitol, so there outfits are pure white robes with multicoloured diamonds scattered across it and they have been sparyed with a sort of silver shine, very typical career.

District two are supposed to be buildings I presume, since they're Masonary. All the others go by with decent and typical outfits. Eleven have just gone by the time me and Katniss are called. Our stylists postion our bodies, when they're done Cinna goes of to get the torch.

"What do you think?" Katniss whispers to me.

"About what?" I whisper back.

"About the fire?" she replies, through gritted teeth I say.

"I'll rip off your cape if you rip mine off."

"Deal." We should at least avoid the worst burns if we do rip them off.

"I know we promised Haymitch to follow what they said, but he surely didn't think of the angle?"Katniss says.

"Where is Haymitch anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us form this kind of thing?" I reply.

"It probably isn't safe for him to be so close to fire, with all that alcohol in him!" we both start laughing loudly,we must both be so nervous that we have forgotten where we are.

Cinna, Katniss's designer, comes up with a torch in his hands and lights our capes and headresses. Katniss, looks... she looks amazing, with the flicks of the fire projected in her grey eyes. It looks like real fire, but I feel no heat. It just tickles. Cinna shouts something to us "_Hold hands!_" but Katniss doesn't catch it so he shouts it again. She still doesn't hear it so I have to interefere. I thought hunter's senses were much better than people who don't hunt?

"I think he asked us to hold hands." I say, she nods in thanks whilst I grab her right hand. Having Katniss right next to me, holding _my _hand feels amazing!

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><p>Our chariot is led, purely by coal black horses, no one holding any reins guiding them. They must have been trained all their life to lead tributes around the town square. Poor things, leading around people preparing for slaughter every year. They probably get mishandled as well, as soon as they get old, <em>they're<em> probably the ones who get slaughtered. I hear horse is quite popular here.

In a few minutes we are led out of the stable doors, everyone's attention is on the careers, well _were_ paying attention to the careers. Everyones screaming "District 12!" or "Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen" as soon as we get out. You know you look stunning when they bother to learn your names on the first night. "_Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen" _It has a nice ring to it!

I look up to see myself on the T.V screen _on fire_, it looks really amazing. If we don't get many sponsers I'll be shocked! But what is even more stunning is Katniss. Blowing kisses? What side of Katniss is this? I haven't _ever_ seen this side of Katniss Everdeen before. Not even before her father...you know, died. I will seriously be suprised if we don't get sponsers purely from that. _A girl on fire blowing kisses. _Everyone will want a piece of that.

Everyone reaches their hands out idiotically, trying to catch one of Katniss's many kisses as if they were real. But, she's stunning, if I were in the crowd and I saw this, I would try to catch one of them any time of day.

She is now squeezing my hand so hard it is really starting to hurt! She realizes this and trys to pull away. But determined to hang on to her, I stop her slipping out "No, please. If I don't hold on to something I'm worried I'll fall out." She just nods and regains her grip. This would be the perfect moment if I didn't know that, in the matter of a few days we'll both be fighting to the death.

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><p>We go around the square one more time, the television screens show all the tributes briefly. But, we are still the ones with the most air time, this is against the rules, but we really do look spectacular, Katniss espescially. Once we finish our second lap, we stop in front of Presidient Snow's mansion. We see him on the balcony like every year, a paper thin man with snow white hair, a dark purple suit, with a single red rose in his pocket. He, unlike the rest of the Capitol citizens, hasn't appeared to have had any alterations. All though the slits in his eyes resemble the eyes of a snake, which makes him appear scarier than he orginally seems.<p>

I can see him eyeing, what seems like me, but I know is Katniss. When he starts his speech, the camera men on the balconys surrounding the squares try to show every tribute. But, once they have the camera remains on me and Katniss. His speech is the same every year, how the Hunger Games is to remind us that we can't defeat the ways of the Capitol. He then states the rules of the Hunger Games.

"Every year 24 tributes aged 12-18, are trained in the art of survial and weaponery and must then enter an outdoor arena and fight to the death, until one is named the victor."

Next to him is the head Gamemaker: Secena Craine, he, like Presidient Snow, hasn't appeared to have had any alterations, but looks scary none the less. His short beard twists at the end of his cheek, along with his moustache, and with hair being perfectly gelled back, the impression I get from him is sly and cunning. He probably has a ton of horrible ideas for new muttations in his head for when we don't die quickly enough.

He, also like Presidient Snow, is eyeing Katniss. Not suprising really. No district in the history of the entire Hunger Games has _ever _had a costume like _this. _

As it starts getting darker, it's even hard to take your eyes off of us. Our costumes just illuminate us more, grabbing even more than thought possible of the air time. When the Capitol anthem starts to play again, the cameras make another quick skip around the tributes, but then once again land on us again. The death glares we are gettin from the other tributes is almost amusing.

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><p>We quickly go around the square yet again, then we quickly disappear into the training centre, are homeholding pen until the actual games. But this is where things really start to heat up.

As soon as the doors shut behind our chariot, we are smothered by some kind of white foam that comes out of a red cylinder, Portia calls a 'fire extinquisher' . Once I can finally see again, all of the tributes are staring at us with what? Admiration? Jealousy? Spite? Whatever they're feeling, like the crowds, they can't take they're eyes of us. Maybe we will have an advantage in the arena. An advantage of being feared.

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><p><strong>AN: REVIEW!**

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**FOUND IT! -**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey everybody! Still haven't got my internet up just yet. So, I had to find another computer to use. Thanks you to my reviewer Cal26lum that review made me laugh so much. It's great to know you guys like my story!**

**Disclaimer: I own every- wait no, not everything. Basically, nothing, at all. I'm not Suzanne Collins. :( DAMN IT!  
><strong>

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><p>Once our prep teams have finished babbling praise about our costumes and how we held ourselves perfectly, Katniss turns to me. I think she is about to speak to me, but she just looks at our intertwined hands then releases them. I realise just how tight she was holding them, and we both have to massage our hands to get the blood circulating again. "Thanks for holding on. I was getting a little shaky there." I tell her.<p>

"It didn't show. I am sure no one noticed." Katniss assures me, Katniss? Reassuring _me?_ She defiantly has a different side to her, one I have never seen.

"I'm sure no one noticed anything but you." I tell her honestly, "You should wear flames more often" I smile back at her; no girl can make me smile so true like this. She _is _special. A faint hint of happiness flickers in her eyes. Does she finally see how I feel about her? Apparently not. I see her give a slight confused face and she is obviously deep in thought. She then reaches up on her tiptoes and kisses me on the cheek… right on my bruise from Haymitch.

She thinks she is being so clever doesn't she? Does she really think I can't see what she is doing? I know what's going through her head. She does not want me to see her as a weakling. My father, Graze and I are apparently 'People people', we can understand people more than others. I won't follow it, although that kiss on the cheek made me feel otherwise. Warmth is still surging through my body when I touch my cheek. But I know better.

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><p>The training centre is a tall tower situated in the town square, opposite the president's mansion. It's almost like he prefers to personally keep an eye on us. All the time.<p>

There are twelve floors (Plus the roof) besides the main floor, above ground. There are- only god knows how many floors could be below this very building. Each floor belongs solely to one district. Meaning Katniss and I are on the twelfth floor. At least we must have the best view, well, besides the roof.

Once everyone in front of us has been to their floor, we go in. I offer to press the button and we start to go up at a great speed. I've only been in an elevator once before, to say goodbye to my family, how I wish I could see them right now. Though, that one is a lot more- well basically, it's really old! It has this horrible smell which I can't describe and it only, probably goes around 3mph.

Whereas, this one is made, of crystal or glass. In the Capitol, the more extravagant the better, so I presume it is crystal then. Also, this one most likely goes at 20mph, so we are at our floor in no time. I look to Katniss and she actually seems to be enjoying herself. Really, an elevator ride is all it takes to make her smile? She is even prettier when she smiles. I didn't even think that was possible.

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><p>When Effie steps out of our elevator, I am instantly annoyed. She is staying here with us? I thought she just escorted you to the Capitol, and then left you to your own devices. But apparently, no, she helps us with sponsors; I suppose that's good so Haymitch isn't by himself. She also keeps us (and Haymitch) on schedule, another good thing, because Haymitch and, I suppose, Katniss aren't very well organized. He's always late to the reapings and any social events. Whilst Katniss is always late to school and her classes.<p>

So, both Haymitch and Effie are seeing Katniss and I into the arena. I just hope for our sakes, that they keep that calm ability to talk to each other without fighting. Otherwise we are in trouble. BIG trouble.

Effie seems happier than ever today, because of our costumes. She keeps going on and on about how she has never escorted any tributes like us before. I kind of feel sorry for Effie, how ecstatic she can get purely by some fire on a leotard. What does go through the Capitol citizen's heads?

Effie continues to talk about how she has being talking us up all day, trying to get us sponsors. "I've been very mysterious though. Because, of course, Haymitch hasn't bothered to tell me of any of your skills and talents. So I've done the best with what I've got. How Katniss volunteered to take her sister's place in the reaping. How you have both been able to overcome the barbarism of your district!" Barbarism? Is she seriously talking about etiquette? At moments like this. Whilst she pretties us up to die. And she wants to talks about barbarism, maybe she should look in a mirror.

"Everyone has their reservations, naturally. You being from a coal district, but I was very clever and said 'if you put enough pressure on coal it turns into pearls!'" She is kidding right? The 'catchphrase' is 'if you put enough pressure on coal they turn into diamonds' although, neither of them is true.

"Unfortunately, I cannot seal the sponsor deals, only Haymitch can do that. But do not worry, I'll hold him at gunpoint at this very table if it comes down to it!" At least she is willing to help fight for our survival, well. More like fight for her promotion.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! <strong>

**Keatafan123**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey Guys! Sorry I haven't updated for a few days. *Dodges rotten apples* My laptop was still messed up. But I got it fixed, YAY! So it is hopefully back to a chapter everyday! I'm lacking reviews, come on guys! Chop chop! If you like it please review! I'm not kidding, reviews _do_ make me work faster. So like, review. Hate it, review. JUST REVIEW! **

**Do you get the message? **

**Discclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES! Duh. **

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><p>Once we're dismissed, we head to our 'quarters', mine is just a little bit further down than Katniss's. And her I was hoping we would share a room! Like the remake centre, one of my walls are dedicated to being a window. Plus, there is a small screen in the corner, activated by voice demand, which zooms the window into certain areas of the Capitol. There is not many 'special' buildings beside the obvious ones, but the pure beauty of the Capitol takes my breath away. Well, I better take it in, this may be the last time I see it sparkle before my certain death.<p>

Almost everything in this room, is run by some kind of electric remote.  
>Room service, voice-command.<br>Wardrobe, remote and selection screen.  
>Shower, remote with hundreds maybe thousands of buttons.<br>They have got to be at least ten thousand buttons, situated all around the room. I decide to order a cup of hot chocolate from the room service and withen forty-five seconds it comes out steaming hot, but this time their is some kind of cream and pink and white foam sweets on top. I find the foamy things too sweet so I take them off. But the cream is delicious!

I also take a quick shower, I just press some random buttons saying 'medium stength' and 'normal wash' then at the end I decide to try the 'freshly baked bread' scent. Perfect! Feeling clean enough, I step on the mat which instantly dries me. I change into brown trousers and a white top and make my way to the sound of Portia's voice outside.

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><p>When I get out of my quarters, I realise Portia and Cinna were calling me, they say they want to show me the roof before dinner in twenty minutes.<p>

We walk up a flight of stairs then walk through an unlocked door in the ceiling, and I'm hit by a wave of cold, yet fresh air. I realise I haven't been properly outside in a few days, well without having to worry about being set on fire. It instantly makes me release a breath I didn't realise I was holding in. Maybe I should show Katniss this before we enter our place of death.

"Are we allowed up here, wouldn't a tribute be able to jump of the ledge?" I ask, suddenly curious.

"It seems like that, but there is a force field around the edge. One which bounces you back. Wouldn't want to lose a tribute would they?" Cinna answers, he starts walking to what I presume is the force field and touches it with his finger. It instantly bounces back, he winces slightly.

"Does it hurt?" I ask.

"Just a bit, like a wasp sting. But goes a way fairly quickly. They have to punish any suicidal tributes in some way or another.", Portia replies.

"I think the games is punishment enough." Cinna whispers to his feet, then suddenly looks around. I agree. The games are punishment for our ancestors mistakes.

Suddenly, I notice how loud it is up here. I hear people down on the streets, hearing occasional words like, "Set on fire!" or "Oh my, did you see them!", I presume their talking about me and Katniss. I smile a little, _glad to know we left an impression with a few of those monsters._

I hear a dinner bell in the distance, great I'm so hungry.

We walk down the flight of stairs in silence. I can't help be reminded by how we were marched to the Justice building in silence. Once we reach the bottom of the stairs, I see a female sillouette looking at me. Katniss. She quickly turns back around when she notices me looking. She is quite shy isn't she?

Katniss has just sat down when we enter the room, I'm glad to see Portia and Cinna sit down with us. They have a very calming effect on the mood. I like Cinna and Portia, I am not too sure about Effie and Haymitch, he is a lot more sober now, but not fully sober. Whereas Effie is just, a Capitol citizen. Not much else to say about the matter.

Once everyone has been seated. Young people dressed in white tunics, give us glasses of water and wine. I have only tried wine once, we got a small fortune one day, when a rich Capitol citizen visted and order about a hundreds items. So my mother insited we got some, let's just say, I didn't feel very well after! I seriously thought I was going to die. Never will I drink wine again.

Cinna and portia are having quiet conversation with each other, Effie and Haymitch are talking about what they plan on 'doing' for the sponsors. So, I decided this might be the _perfect_ time to make conversation with the crush of my life.

"Enjoying the wine?" I say this because she looks a little _unwell._

"Not really, felt dizzy half way through. Never had it before, you?" she replies.

"Yeah, once actually. That is the reason I'm not drinking any now. I felt like I was gonna die right there and then!"

She shoots me a look that I know is her death glare. One I recognize as, _if you carry on you will die. _I decide I should stop there.

Why does she have to be SO unsocial? I would make things SO much easier to talk to her!

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><p><strong>REVIEW! Please? <strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey Guys! I'm back! So, here is the next chapter, sorry it is short. I realised I haven't updated for a couple days, so I just thought, better short than nothing so here it is! If you like my writing please do an author alert at some point as I plan on releasing quite a few storys soon enough. I just have all these plans formulating in my head. **

**REVIEW!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANYTHING! God! You'd think you would realise this already! :/**

I decide to drink a little wine anyway to get my mind off my converstation, or lack there of, with Katniss and I do not even _know_ how Haymitch can feel like this _everyday. _It does not even taste _decent, _let alone nice enough to drink it twenty-four hours a day. I suddenly feel admiration for how strong Haymitch's stomach is. Ugh.

The severs start coming in with our food, I notice something strange by the way the swallow. Maybe they just feel nervous around soon-to-be corpses. I feel nervous just watching the screen hundreds of miles alone serving them, I decide to think about it no further.

Effie keeps on yapping on, but I just focus on the delcascies in front of me. Mushroom soup, bitter greens inluding these teeny tomatoes that are smaller than a sugar cube, rare roast beef sliced paper thinly, noodles covered in a ' green pesto' sauce, melt-in-your-mouth cheese served with sweet and juicy blue grapes.

The servers, whom are all dressed in white tunics, keep our glasses full, even though Katniss and I do not drink anymore, and keep our platters stuffed to the brim at all times.

We are all silent as a red-haired sever comes in with a marvelous dessert covered in a white foam, is that edible? Whether it is or not I don't know, as the server sets it on fire. I was looking at that! So rude.

The fire slowly dims out till it is non-existant, Katniss looks up to the server to ask a question, "What makes it burn? Is it alcohol? That's the last thing I wa-, Oh! I know you!" I can instantly see regret on katniss's face, I turn to the sever and she looks scared. How does Katniss know her? A Capitol server, _in _the Capitol. Weird.

Effie, Haymitch, Cinna and Portia all stare at her like prey. "Oh Katniss dear, how would _you _know an _avox! _Ha!" Effie says in her accent, which seems to have gotten four times as annoying when she laughs.

"What is an avox?" Katniss asks, Effie stares at her like she is stupid.

" Someone who has commited a crime. They cut off their tongue so they can't speak." Haymitch answers, so _that _is why they swallow oddly.

"And even if you did, you are not to speak to one unless it is an order. Anyway, you do not _really _know her." Effie says matter-of-factly.

I look back at Katniss and know she _does _know her. From where? I do not even know. I just know she does, at the moment I can read her like a book. Her guard as been put down, something _really _serious has happened with this girl.

"No, I guess not-" she stutters, I need to help her out, so I snap my fingers and decide to help her.

"Delly Cartwright, that is who she looks like. I kept feeling she looked familiar as well, then I realised she is a dead ringer for Delly" She looks _nothing_ like Delly, I know this because I have known Delly since I was born, she is my best friend who is a girl. I can see a flush of relief on Katniss's face, _do you notice me now I just saved your butt?_

Delly is so sweet, she would never be a criminal, she would not even hurt a fly. " Of course, that was who I was thinking of. I think it must be the hair." Delly is blonde, this server has red hair, but she is obviously just trying to get out of this conversation. Can't blame her.

"Something about the eyes too." I reply helping her out. Everyone in the room relaxes, including Katniss and myself, thank goodness for my quick thinking skills!

"Oh well, if that is all it is. And yes, the cake is covered in spirits, but it has been burnt off. I ordered it for your fiery debut." Cinna answers. I know it is meant for both of us, but can't help feel he means Katniss.

We eat the cake and move to the T.V room to watch our open ceremonies. As I thought, all of the disticts costumes are good or average. When we come on, our room is filled with oohs and aahs, I can see the tributes giving us death glares. Fun, it's not like they'll want to kill us first. No, of course not, where did you get that idea?

I'm just suprised that we _didn't _burn. We are-were literally on fire.

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><p><strong>ThAnKs FoR rEaDiNg! ReViEw!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey everybody! Not much to say today (I know: 'Thank goodness for that') But I just like to say, 'WHY NO ONE GIVE ME REVIEW ON LAST CHAPTER?' Not fair! They do keep me motivated to carry on, trust me I am one of those people who get bored quickly if no one reviews! SO REVIEW!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING! (I wish I did though, I want to be as talented as SC) **

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><p>"Who's idea was the hand holding?" asks Haymitch.<p>

"Cinna's" answers Portia.

"Ah, the _perfect _touch of rebellion!" He replies.

Rebellion? What is he talking about, I just hope for his sakes there are no cameras hidden around, with peacekeepers lurking behind them ready to arrest haymitch. I _really _can imagine it happening. They probably do have people constantly watching us. Just to make sure we are not plotting somekind of 'rebellion'.

They wish. No one has the guts to defy the Capitol. Next you'll be telling me that district thirteen is not actually destroyed and they are forming groups of rebels to fight the Capitol and _kill_ President Snow! Yeah right.

"Very nice!" Haymitch continues, maybe he just means it shows the Capitol that some of the tributes can actually like and get along with each other. Yeah, that must be it.

"Tommorow morning is your first training session. Meet me for breakfast and I'll tell you exactly how I want you to play it. Alright?" I thought we were just supposed to train? Now we need to have a game plan for it? This is so much more complicated then they ever show back home.

"Now go get some sleep whilst the adults talk." Haymitch gives us a quick goodbye, as does Cinna, Portia and Effie.

"Night Peeta. Katniss!" Ugh. Does Effie have to be _so _happy _all _the time!

Me and Katniss walk down to her room in silence. My curiousity starts eating me from the inside, I _need_ to know what happened with this 'avox' girl, maybe it'll help Katniss. I'm not being nosey, I am helping the girl I love. That's all. God, _I_ am not nosey at all compared to ma and Rye.

When we get to her door, I narrow her entry point, not so she cannot go in, just so she knows we need to talk. "Funny seeing Delly Cartwright's look-a-like here 'ey?" I ask. I can see she knows I am asking for an explanation for earlier, I did save her from potential disaster and that 'avox' girl. She just nods in understanding.

We both know I covered for her. I _deserve _an explanation, and she knows this.

There is a long silence, I never realised _just _how easy she _is_ to read here.

She is obviously juggiling whether to tell or not to tell me. But like I said before, she knows she owes me, and from past experience I know she does not like oweing people. I decide to help her out.

"Have you been to the roof yet?" She shakes her head, "Cinna showed me. You can pratically see the whole city from up there. Although, the wind is a little loud." Relief flushes her face, somewhere no one can hear us. Perfect!

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><p>"Can we just go up?" Katniss asks, "Sure, come on." I think about reaching my hand out to her, but decide against it. Who knows what she could do to it.<p>

I lead her up the flight of stairs I went up earlier this day. Once we get to the top of the stairs, I open the door for her (like the gentleman I am!) and enter myself, alone at last. But no funny business, I'm not that type of guy!

The Capitol is shining even more then earlier, most likely because all of the lights are on this time, since the sun was going down at the time I went up earlier with Cinna and Portia. Katniss gasps at the view and smiles a little. I love her smile, she is as radiant as the sun. No, _more_ radiant than the sun

This makes me erupt into a cat like grin, but I quickly turn it into a small smile before she can notice.

Katniss and I walk to the roof's railing and get a closer look at the streets below us. I see dots of different colours moving around on the pavements, I'm confused for a moment. I then remember the fact that the Capitol citizens _dye themselves_ that colour. They call it 'attractive' to be honest I find it dead ugly. They are also disgusting, they watch children kill each other. Get my point?

Point proven.

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><p><strong>THANKS TO MY READERS! FOR READING THIS CHAPTER!<strong>

**REVIEW IF YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER,**

**OR HATE IT I DON'T MIND!**

**JUST REVIEW! THANKS! **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey Guys! **

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><p>"I asked Cinna why they let us up here. Surely they can't risk one of their precious tributes to commit suicide." I tell her.<p>

"What did he say to that?" Asks Katniss.

"Their is some kind of force field surrounding it which throws you back on the roof if you hit it." I point to the outer side of the railing and press my finger into what seems like thin air. Ouch! i jump back slightly, that hurts more than a wasp sting! Cinna lied, that is more like a trackerjacker sting- just without the crazy venom. Katniss looks concerned for a bit, but realises that I am okay and goes back to her emotionless face.

The lights of the Capitol reflect in Katniss's beautiful grey eyes. I wish I had the guts to talk to her before all of this, I can't try now, only one of us _might _come out alive. We will just make things more difficult for ourselves- me. She only trusts a few lucky people, Gale, Madge and of course, Prim. Not the baker's boy, the one who gave her bread on that one day she looked close to death. No one can break that barrier surrounding her heart. Although she broke mine eleven years ago, never has it healed since.

Katniss interupts my thoughts about her, "Always worried about our safety." She says with sarcasm. _Yeah right, worried about our safety until they send us to fight to our deaths!_

"Do you think they are watching us?" She asks, trying to sound like she is just wondering. But I translate this as _"Will they hear how I know an avox?" _

"Here, come see the garden." I say. We walk to the other side of the dome to the garden. I make note of all the flowers they have, natural instinct from designing cookies I guess. Roses, pansies, snowdrops, tulips, lillies, baby breaths. All varying in colours: pink, yellow, white and my favourite sunset orange. I can't help notice how stunning Katniss is in the midst of all these flowers. I wonder if this is what she looks like in the forrest outside district twelve. Gorgeous.

I pick a primrose for her, as if to will her on. She smiles quickly and places it in her hair.

She sees me staring, she takes this as expectantly, but I am really just admiring her. She pretends to examine a blossom.

"I was in the forrest waiting for game." She says.

"You and your father?" I ask, hoping it wasn't Hawthorne.

"No." She looks down with shiny eyes, "Me and Gale." she answers. Damn. So his name is Gale, Hawthorne suits him better.

"My friend Gale, my hunting partner. We were waiting for game, when suddenly all the birds stopped singing, when it was all silent, one bird ceated a high-pitched shrill. A moment later we saw two kids, one girl one boy. They were thin and obviously tired." She pauses, "They looked very Capitol. She saw us, her, the Avox. She looked like she was about to ask for help, until a hovercraft flew by above us. It released a spear at the end of a rope, it inserted the boy and pulled him up. The girl screamed his name, she stopped suddenly when the rope grabbed her and pulled her up. Just before the doors closed she looked at me expectantly, but we did not do anything to save her." She finishes with tears starting to form in her eyes.

She pulls away from the blossom suddenly, almost too quietly. "It suddenly just vanished, like nothing happened. I had forgotten it pretty well until today, now the nightmares will be worse than ever."

"Did they see you?" I ask.

"I do not think so. If they did they did not do anything about it." she answers.

"Your shivering." I take my jacket off and zip it around her. She looks hesitant but excepts it anyway. I start to feel the chill, but I try to hide it so she keeps the jacket.

"So you think they are from here." I tell her since she mentioned it previously.

"They did not have any alterations or dyes on them. They just did not look like any of the districts." I fix the final button on her neck.

"Do you know where they were heading from?" I ask.

"I do not know that, or where they were going for that matter." she answers. There is not anything beyond district twelve that we know of, besides the ruins of district thirteen obviously. But they would not be heading there would they?

" I do not know why they would leave here, if they are from here. They would have everything in the Capitol." True. But I would leave such a corrupt place, sending children to die every year and asking us to celebrate the deaths of our friends and relatives.

"I would leave here" I say honestly, I would. Just in case I cover up my intentions, I laugh, "I leave now if they let me. But you got to admit, the food is prime." _Nicely done Peeta. _Relief flushes on Katniss's face, obviously shocked by my sudden outburst.

"It is getting chilly, we had better go back to our rooms." I suggest, suddenly a question about her 'friend' pops up. "Your friend, Gale, is he the one who took your sister away at the reaping?" I ask, trying hard to hide any jealously for Hawthorne, that there may be in my voice.

"Yes, he was, she is like his little sister. Do you know him?" she asks me.

"Not properly, I have heard of him though. The girls talk about him a lot in the hallways, I thought he was your cousin or relative. Do you favour each other?" I say,

"No. We are not related." she responds quickly. The jealously rages through me. Hawthorne, the hunter boy, verses Peeta, a bakers son. Who would win?

Him of course. He can shoot turkey! I think that automaticaly wins.

I nod, trying to rid of any rage on my face. "Did he come visit you in the Justice building?" I ask. She looks at me curiously.

"Yes." _Of course he would, what a stupid question!_

"So did your father. He brought me cookies." _This, _I did not no of. I mean, I know my father cares for Katniss and her sister, but I did not expect him to give away cookies, must of had to sneak them around ma. She hates Seam kids, let alone handing free food to them.

"Really?" I ask, "I know he likes you and Prim. I think he sometimes wishes he had a daughter instead of a houseful of boys." You will not see me dressing up as a girl anytime soon!

"He knew your mother when they were kids." Katniss is shocked by this, did her mother never mention this?

We walk down back to her room, "See you." She says.

"Yeah, see you at breakfast. Nice and early for training!" She does not appreciate the joke.

That went well. I think.

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><p><strong>AN: REVIEW!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey Guys! So I forgot to mention before, MY COMPUTER GOT FIXED! HUZZAH! Anyway thanks for all the reviews, the are picking up the pace but is still not enough! So keep on reviewing please! Anyway so this is Chapter 11 and I guess this is what you could call a 'filler' but I still think it is decent and fairly interesting to read. I know the facts are slightly wrong at the breakfast scene, since Katniss is supposed to be there first. but I think it needed to be that order due to events earlier in the chapter involving Haymitch, so that is my excuse. So do not send me a review saying 'You got it all wrong you Dumbnut!'**

**ENJOY!**

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!**

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><p>When I walk into my room, one of the avoxes are there. A male avox with bright purple hair, he obviously is from the Capitol. I see him walk off with my fire costume and I nod in thanks. I fiddle with buttons on the wardrobe, trying to make any sense of it. I finally see a fleecy trousers and plain t-shirt, so I just wear those.<p>

I start getting ready for bed in the bathroom when I hear a commotion coming from the room next. It stops after a while so I just ignore it. But it starts up again ten minutes later and I decide to check it out.

I walk outside my door and the noise is instantly muffled, this must be the reason no Capitol assitants or avoxes have come to sort it out.

The door is closed but unlocked, unlike mine. I walk in to see Haymitch with an Capitol assitant.

"JUST GET OUT!" Haymitch screams.

"But sir, you are bleeding a dangerous amount." the man tries to reason with him.

"I DO NOT CARE! AND DO NOT EVER CALL ME SIR, I AM NOT MY FATHER!" Haymitch replies.

"Fine then. Haymitch, we _have _to give you medical assitance, this amount of blood is not safe."

"I'll deal with it. You can go now." I say, he nods and quickly paces out.

"Haymitch, I thought you agreed to keep sober for us. Not to then get drunk and hurt yourself in the process." I tell him, he mumbles out of earshot whilst I look for a first aid kit. Luckily being a baker's son, I am trained in first aid, just in case we burn or cut ourselves.

I find a kit on one of the bathroom shelves. Once I take it off gently I notice how many full bottles of liquor are around. I take Haymitch in this state to my advantage and pour them all down the drain. He will think the Capitol man did it, _perfect. _

I walk back out with the first aid kit, just to find Haymitch collapsed in his own foul smelling blood. _I swear, the liquor must have found it's way into his blood. _I wipe away the blood on his arm and steralize the cut, quickly wrapping it back up before more can come out. I change him into some pajamas (Just like I did on the train) and tuck him into bed. I get a mop from an Avox down the hall and mop up his blood from his kitchen area (One obviously the mentors have that we do not, probably because of the draws containing an array of sharp knives.).

I leave after putting a note on Haymitch's counter reading:

_Haymitch,_

_Take it easy. You cut yourself in a pretty dangerous place last night in the midst of your wild drinking. A Capitol assitant took the liberty of taking away your bottles from you so this would not happen a second time. I bandaged you myself so it is not perfect, just do not move to hastily the next few days so it does not re-open. _

_PEETA _

I walk the few metres back to my room and go into a dreamless sleep.

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><p>I wake up to an alarm, that someone else must have set for me, on the side of my bed and start to get ready. I take another shower and when I walk back out I find some clothes on my bed: Dark brown trousers, a light brown tunic and a pair of black plimsoles. Of course, training day.<p>

I flatten my hair quickly and make my way to the dining area. I walk in and see Haymitch in a hangover picking at a roll.

"Haymitch." I say in his direction, he looks up resentfully.

"What? Come to take more liquor? Well I don't have any thanks to you!" he responds.

"Firstly that was not me. And secondly that is not what I need to talk to you about." this gets his attention,

"I needed to talk to you about keeping your mouth shut about last night to Katniss. I'm willing to forget about last night and keep my mouth shut. But if Katniss finds out about this, she will literally explode. She does not need to be mad on our first day of training, alright, think you can do that?" I ask. He just grunts and nods in response. "Oh, and act sober." I tell him while walking off to grab my breakfast.

I pick things from an array of dishes, I ask for a hot chocolate as well. I end up trying everything, ranging from sausages to purple melon, which is a little to sweet -and bright for that matter- for my taste.

Halfway through my breakfast I see Katniss come in wearing the exact same thing as me. Cinna and Portia are brilliant, but seriously. Can they not think of two outfits rather than just one but in two sizes? We will be the '_matching pair from district twelve!'_, fun.

Katniss grabs her own dish and hot chocolate and sits down next to me. Whilst eating, she purposefuly is trying to avoid my gaze, obviously feeling awkward from the fact she trusted me enough to tell me something that happened, _outside_ of district twelve_._ Where no one -except for her- dares to go. The penalty being death.

From here I can smell lemons, which is strange because there were no lemons (or anything containing lemon) on the table. This puzzles me for a moment more until I remember a lemon foam being on the shower panel. Katniss must have used that, maybe lemons grown out in the forest? If they do, it probably comforts her. Like the fact I chose the bread scent yesterday. I chose cinnamon today.

Haymitch continues to mumble to himself until I cough and grab his attention, signalling for him to stop mumbling, he only does that when he is drunk or having a hangover. He just grunts, grabbing Katniss's attention, and finally says something "I need to ask you too something." he says. I wonder what rubbish he is going to talk about now. Probably going to tell us to never mix white wine with beer. Rye did once, told me to never, ever, do that.

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><p><strong>REVIEW!<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: So after this chapter shall be the training and maybe the one after that for the private sessions. **

**Has anyone heard 'She will be loved' by Maroon 5, it reminds me of the bread scene since he sings: _You see her in th pouring rain, you see her with a broken smile on her face! _Kinda similar!**

**DISCLAIMER: DURING THE TIME BETWEEN THE LAST CHAPTER I HAVE COME TO OWN 50 MILLION POUNDS AND I NOW OWN THE HUNGER GAMES!**

_**Only not, I still own NOTHING!**_

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><p>"So, let us get down to business. Training. First off, if you like, I can coach you guys separatlely. Decide now." He says, Separately? Why would we need to be coached separately? I barely see enough of Katniss as it is.<p>

"Why would you one to coach us separately?" Katniss repeats my thoughts.

"I case one of you has a secret talent or skill. One which you do not want the other one to know about." he replies as if we are the most stupid people here. We probably are. Katniss and I exchange glances.

"I do not have any 'special' skills are talents." I say, "Plus, I already know what yours is right? I mean, I have eaten enough of your squirrels." She looks at me strangely. What does she think that she sell us them, and then we just throw them out again? God, she can hunt in the 'off limit' woods, but she can not understand the most simple of things. Seriously.

"You can coach us together." She tells Haymitch, we share another glance and I nod in agreement.

"All right, so give some idea of what you to can do." Haymitch tells me.

"I can not do anything." I reply, "Well, unless you count baking bread of course."

"Sorry. I do not. Now, Katniss, I know you are handy with a knife. Anything else?" Asks Haymitch.

"Not really. But I can hunt, with a bow and arrow." She replies, just hunt? She is like the amazing and beautiful goddess of hunting squirrels. Scared of nothing at all, except maybe makeup and girly clothes.

"And you are decent with it?" Haymitch asks. Katniss has to think about this for a moment. Does she not even realise how good she is? _Hmm, why yes I have been hunting for five years, shoot animals straight in the eye everytime. Am I any good at shooting with a bow and arrow? I am not sure to be honest. _For goodness sake.

"I am alright I guess." She says humbly. I just decide to hurry this whole process.

"She is fantastic with the bow and arrow. Shoots the animals straight through the eye everytime. She is extremely popular with the traders around town." I say. Katniss just looks back at me with complete shock. _Yes Katniss, it is called a 'compliment'. _" She can even bring down deer." I add.

"What are you doing?" She asks me in a harsh whisper.

"What are _you _doing? If he is going to help you, he has to know what you are capable. Do not underrate yourself." I tell her.

"What about you?" She angrily says, "I have seen you in the market with your father. You can lift fifty-kilo bags of flour around the square. Tell him that! That is _not_ nothing special!" She is almost shouting by the end of the sentence.

"Yes. I am sure the arena is going to be _full _of bags of flour that I can chuck at people. It is not like being able to use a weapon. You know that!" I shoot back, with just as much anger in my voice as her. Wait. She notices me. HUZZAH! I have finally gotten somewhere. After eleven years of noticing her.

"He can wrestle." She tells Haymitch. "He came second in our school competion last year. Just after his brother." Rylee has always made me fight against him. Even though, I admit, I am not bad at wrestling. I am still not as good as Rylee.

How _does _she know all this stuff about me? Has she been keeping tabs on _me _like I have been on _her?_

"What use is that? When was the last time you have seen someone in the arena, _wrestle_ someone to death?" I say in disgust.

"There is always hand-to-hand combat in the arena. Come up with a knife, and you will at least stand a chance! If I get jumped I am dead!" She shouts. Jeez, she can get _really _mad!

"But you won't be! You will be living up some tree, eating raw squirrel all day, picking people off one by one with your arrows! Do you want to know what my mother said to me whn she said goodbye, as if to cheer me up?" I pause for a moment, taking in her reaction, "She said "Maybe district twelve will finally have a winner this year. She is a survivor that one, _she is!"_ Then I realised, she was not talking about _me_ she was talking about _you!" _

"Oh, she meant you!" She tells me.

"Really? My mother might not like me, but she knows my bloody gender!" I say, almost screaming. My throat is burning, so I use Katniss's silence to take a sip of my hot chocolate, which has now gone cold.

Katniss just continues to stare at me with shock and disbelief, while Haymitch twiddles his thumbs and mumbles, even after I told him not to, to himself.

She stares at me blankly, almost like she is having a flashback. She quickly breaks the long silence once emotion has gone back to her eyes, she sounds young and inecont when she says, "Only because someone helped me." So she _does_ remember that day in the backyard.

My eyes flicker down to the roll I did not realise she was holding in her hands. Though, to act like it does not bother me I just shrug in response as well as saying, "I am sure people will help you in the arena. They will be lining up the streets to sponsor you." She looks as though I have offened her greatly. Well, popularity, to her, is an alien concept.

"No more than you." She replies, she suddenly drops the gaze I reinforced.

This statement just makes me roll my eyes at Haymitch, "She has no idea, the effect she can have on people." I run my fingernail against the wood grain on the table, refusing to stare at those wonderful grey eyes of hers. Haymitch just chuckles to himself and mumbles, "Women." I agree Haymitch, I agree.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: SO I'M BACK! HUZZAH! Yay, didn't miss me did ya? Well here it is Chapter 13 FIRST day of training, and it is gonna be non stop peeta talking about camouflage, yup! Nah, I'm kidding. By the way for those who have already story alerted I have re-written chapter one to make it slightly better. For instance Peeta's brothers wake him up instead of his wicked witch of a mother! **

**ENJOY AND:**

**DISCLAIMER: YOU KNOW IT ALREADY!**

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><p>After about a minute of angry silence (which I wish it would stay in) Haymitch speaks up.<p>

"Well, well, well. Katniss there is no guarantee that there will be bows and arrows in the arena, but during the private sessions with the gamemakers show them what you got. Until then stay clear of archery, all right? Do you know how to set traps?"

"I know a few basic snares." She mutters in reply.

"Well that might be a scale tipper when it comes to collecting food, so improve your skills with that. And Peeta, she is right, don't underestimate your strength in the arena. Very often, strength tilts the advantage to the player. In the training they will have weights, but don't reveal how much you can lift in front of the other tributes. The plans the same for both of you. Go to group training. Learn something you don't know, throw a spear. Swing a mace. Learn how to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you are best at until the private sessions with the gamemakers. Are we clear?"

Me and Katniss both nod our heads in agreement, though we still don't take our eyes away from our hands, Haymitch sighs and continues.

"One last thing, I want you by each others side every single minute." And with that he leaves. I lift my gaze to where he was sitting. I try to act angry but I'm jumping inside, I actually have a _reason to talk and be with Katniss. _ It takes all my will power to not skip to my room in pure delight. Katniss on the other hand looks down right angry. Unless she is a _really _good actress I don't think she is pretending. Damn it Peeta.

She scrapes the chair forcefully and makes a point of stomping off. I just smile once she has left the room.

As I start to follow behind her to our corridor, she makes a loud bang when she closes (or slams for that matter) the door shut. I think President Snow might of been able to hear it across the road.

I think I might need my ears checked out. Great.

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><p>Once back in my room I shower choosing lemons as my scent to impress Katniss, since that is what she was using earlier, and I dry my hair. I put my training clothes on and leave once it is 9:30, might as well be early.<p>

I find Effie already at the elevator.

"Oh, hello Peeta! You are early, good for you! Now we shall just wait for Katniss then we will go to floor - 24!"

I should of known that the floor we train on would be floor - 24.

"How long have you been here Effie?" I ask.

"Since 7:45! I had breakfast in my room then came right here. I like being on schedule!"

Since 7:45? She _is_ crazy!

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><p>Katniss takes ten minutes to show up, after that we all go to floor - 24. We get there at quarter to, but we are the last ones there, and like the chariot rides we are all silent and standing in a circle around a woman, our trainer, called Atala. A woman comes towards Katniss and I, with pieces of paper saying 'DISTRICT 12' on them.<p>

We once again are the only ones who look alike. Thank you Cinna and Portia.

Once we have joined the circle Atala explains the rules of the training. I pay attention to her, but can't help sneak a few glances at Katniss. A piece of ebony hair is front of her grey eyes, but I can still tell that she is sizing up the other tributes. I decide to do the same.

Suprisingly I come about third when it comes to height. YES! With Thresh being the tallest and Cato following. Though I think most of them out weigh me, they have BIG muscles. Yikes.

Once explained about the training center we are set loose, and this is literal, the careers run of to the most scary weapons and flaunt them in front of the others trying to indimidate them and I think it is working. The girl from seven looks at them with fear whilst she tries to throw a spear alongside Cato. Well he _is_ Cato.

I realise Katniss is still inanimate beside me and I guess she is looking at where everyone is going like me. She appears to have forgotten about me, because when I touch her on the shoulder and ask,

"Where to now?"

She jumps and acts suprised I'm still there, seriously Katniss? But she quickly regains her cool manner and replies,

"I say we go tie some knots."

"Right you are." Since that is what I was thinking.

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><p>After learning a few knots taking an hour each to perfect them. We move on to the spear throwing.<p>

When Katniss is throwing a spear I notice something moving in the corner of my eye and I see little Rue watching us behind a column. She sure is quiet! I tell Katniss and rather harshly she says,

"What are we gonna do about it?"

This suprises me as she partially reminds me of Prim, maybe it wasn't intended.

"Nothing I just though I should let you know." I tell her and she just nods in thanks.

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><p>The next day we go to the the non-weaponry areas and focus on survival skills, Katniss passes the ediable plants test with flying colours and I well, didn't pass with flying colours to say the least.<p>

But I do well, _extremely_ well in the camoflauge area. It isn't surprising I do well in this since I decorate the cakes in the bakery, but I do better than I thought. I make look like the light is hitting it in different angles and I think camoflauge is my best bet to surviving.

I see Katniss looking at my decorated arm in surprise and I say to her,

"I do the cakes."

"What?"

"I do the decorated cakes in the bakery, have you ever seen them?"

Realization hits her and says that Prim loves them, I just smile in return and say,

"Frosting the last act of defense!"

She laughs and replies "But you can't frost in the arena!"

"Well say there is a massive cake...-"

I'm interuppted by her saying, "And I say we move on."

So rude Katniss. So rude. If I didn't 'like' her like her I would find her rudness annoying, but I do 'like' her like her so I find it funny! I'm gonna find it annoying soon aren't I?

Stupid Karma.

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><p><strong>Hehehe, GOD KARMA!<strong>

**ReViEw?**

**-Keatafan123 :D**


	14. Chapter 14

**HEY EVERYBODY! HERE IS CHAPTER 14: REVIEW! THANKS.**

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><p>We spend the rest of the day training at different stations, I find out I am actually decent at spear throwing, who knew?<p>

On the second day we go about our training business until lunchtime. Me and Katniss sit at the same table as yesterday, the one in the corner overlooking all the other tables. When the silence between us moves from comfortable silence to awkward silence, I decide to act 'friendly' for our image.

"It is interesting that they have to include the bread from _all _the districts in the bread basket, so _all _the tributes have a taster of home before they leave."

Katniss just stares at me with confusion written all over her face, so I decide to carry on to explain things:

"Let me show you..." I pour out all of the bread rolls from our basket and point to each one when I'm explaining them, the rye bread in the form of a brick, district 2 masonary. The granary loaf from district 9. The crescent shaped roll scattered with seeds from district 11. Once I have explained them all I scoop them back into the basket and say,

"And there you have all the rolls from all the districts. It is great to finally taste these, as we have pictures of them all in a book. But we weren't allowed to bake them since they are only allowed in the Capitol or the home district. I've been wondering what they taste like my whole life."

Katniss just smiles, I decide to ask her something to hold our image of being 'friendly',

"Now laugh as if I said something really funny. Then you say something after." I tell her.

We both give convincing laughs and we get death glares in return from all the other tributes.

After we finish laughing Katniss goes on to say something like I suggested:

"Did I ever tell you about the time I fought with a bear for the rights to a beehive?" She asks.

"No I don't believe you have. But it sounds...interesting." I reply.

"Well one day I was in the woods, hunting, and I saw a beehive a few metres ahead of me, it was the start of spring so the honey was delicious and sold well at that time. So I got there and was just about to get some honey. When a bear just jumped out from behind the tree. And started going "RAHHH" like bears do and we just fought until I shot him. We had a nice dinner that night. Bear fur sells well!"

I just smile trying to cover my lunch threatening to come back up from the last sentence.

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><p>After a dinner full of being constantly grilled by Haymitch and Effie, me and Katniss head to our rooms. I attempt to lighten the mood slightly by saying,<p>

"Someone ought to get a drink in Haymitch, he has been too sober for too long." I chuckle slightly, but Katniss doesn't seem amused.

"Please Peeta let's not pretend to be friendly when no one is around." She says with a harsh tone.

"Alright Katniss. Goodnight." I say tiredly as I head to my own room.

Just as I thought she was begining to like me. What is up with her and being friendly.

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><p>The next day we go around the training centre, learning wrestling and shelter. but the whole time I wonder about what to do for the private sessions with the gamemakers.<p>

When lunch is called me and Katniss go to our usual table and stay in silence this time. I am still mad about last night. One by one the tributes get called for their sessions starting with the district 1 male, Marvel and ending with district 12's female, Katniss.

Fifteen minutes after little Rue is called I hear:

"District 12, Peeta Mellark, please proceed to the training centre for you private session." I get off my chair and about to head to the exit when I hear Katniss speak for behind me.

"Remember what Haymitch said, lift some weights." She says, this surprises me, does she really think I forgot?

"Thanks. You er...shoot straight." I reply, still confused.

"Thanks, I will." She says with finality.

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><p>I walk in to find the them singing a drinking song:<p>

"_We drink the boos while tributes lose!"_

_"We set the mutts apon them!"_

_"One remains we celebrate!"_

_"And drink somemore againnnnnn!"_

This is gonna be _great!_

I walk over to the spear throwing area and grab the most impressive one I see. I set a dummy up 10 metres away and I throw it so it lands in the dummy's neck. I hear some words of approval with things like:

_"A slower death, much better than the heart shot." _or _"Good long-distance thrower."_

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><p><strong>Sorry it was a little bit short, but my computer was doing funny stuff like changing the layout and not <strong>

**starting a new line, just ****going over the previously written line. STRANGE! **


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: HEY EVERYBODY! Only a few more chapters until the Games begin. Then it will be more original, since Peeta never mentions how he gets into the Careers. I've just noticed it is almost like some unspoken aggrement throughout the Fanfics that Peetas older brother is called Rye, it's just like everyone has called him Rye! Strange.**

**THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! THEY KEEP ME GOING.**

**DISCLAIMER: STILL OWNING NOTHING! :'(**

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><p>After throwing around a few more <em>mangeable<em> weights I hear:

"Peeta Mellark your time is up, please go back to floor 12." From a peacekeeper outside the door.

I walk over to the elevator and punch the number 12 button, no one will want to sponsor me now. Hopefully Katniss gets a good score so she gets sponsors. After all I want her to be the one who goes back home, I'll do anything to make sure that happens if it means I have to die. She'll go back to her family and _Hawthorne. _

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><p>Once I get to our floor Haymitch and Effie grill me questions on how it went, not wanting to tell them on how I messed up I just reply with,<p>

"Yeah, it went fine, I threw the weights like you said."

They keep asking me questions all the way to my room, wanting for them to go away I just close the door gently behind me. I never have been one for slamming the door in ones face.

Katniss on the otherhand would.

Ten minutes later I hear the elevator ding signalling Katniss's arrival. _That was quick_. I hear a pair of feet running toward what seems like my room, but know is hers, and I hear a few sniffles. _Is she crying? _I hear her door slam and I can't help chuckle as she did exactly what I thought she would while closing her door.

I get up to ask what is wrong. As I walk out the door I see Haymitch and Effie have already beaten me to it. They are knocking on Katniss door and trying to talk to her. But the only answers to their questions is silence coming from behind her door and the odd sniffle.

What did she do that made _Katniss, the tough one who didn't even cry when she was facing death in my backyard, _cry?

I can't get my head around it. What, did the gamemakers say that she would die first and if she didn't they would send mutts on her? That couldn't of happened since they aren't allowed to say things like that, which makes it no less confussing on what happened. I guess I'll just have to wait and see at dinner.

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><p>When the dinner bell finally rings I pratically sprint outside. Having a weight nearly land on your toe increases your appetite!<p>

When I get outside of my room I see Effie trying to convince Katniss to come to dinner. Only this time I hear Katniss agree to it. Once I get into the dining room I see Haymitch, Cinna and Portia waiting at the table. Just seeing the designers brings a smile to my face, they are both so nice for Capitol people and they have a calming effect between Effie and Haymitch, which makes meals much more bearable.

Effie finally arrives, and five minutes later katniss comes in with puffy eyes and hints of water on her face, she has obviously tried to cover up the fact she was crying. She didn't do very well at that.

Our first course is a very salty fish soup, almost as salty as tears. I look at Katniss and realise she is thinking the same thing, ah the Capitol reminding everyone of what once happened and rubbing it in their faces.

After a long period of uncomfortable silence the adults start chit-chatting about the weather and the forecasts, I take this moment to raise my eyebrows at question to Katniss, _what happened. _She just shakes her head in response. Haymitch must have seen this interaction and gets straight to the point.

"Okay enough with the small talk- just how bad was it today?"

I jump in knowing that Katniss wont say what she did first.

"I do not know it mattered. By the time I showed up, no one even bothered to look at me. They were singing some kind of drinking song, I think. So I through around some heavy objects until they told me to go. That's it."

Katniss almost looks relieved at what I said. Odd.

"And you, sweetheart?" Haymitch asks while looking at Katniss.

"I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers." _This, _I did not expect. I almost spit my food out when she says it. I see the others do the same. No wonder she was upset!

"You what?" Effie shrieks, I have thee temptation to cover my ears.

"I shot an arrow at them. Well not exactly _at _them. Just in that general direction. Like Peeta said, I was shooting and they weren't paying attention to me and I just... I just lost my head and shot an arrow an apple out of the stupid roast pig's mouth!" She says, obviously annoyed.

"And what did they say?" says Cinna careully, obviously trying not to tick her off.

"Nothing. At least that I know of, I left after that." Katniss replies.

"Without being dismissed?" Effie asks in horror.

"I dismissed myself." Katniss answers, I can't help but be a little bit impressed by Katniss.

"Well that's that." Haymitch says whilst buttering a roll.

"Do you think they will arrest me?" Katniss asks, I look up from my hands at this statement, would they?

"No I don't think so. It would be a pain to replace a tribute at this stage." Haymitch answers.

"What about my family?" Katniss asks, "Will they be punished for my actions?"

"I don't think so. It wouldn't make much sense if they did. See, they'd have to reveal what happened in the Training Centrefor it to have any worthwhile effect on the population. People would need to know what you did. But they can't do that since it is a secret, so it would be a waste of effort on their part, don't worry about it." Haymitch says.

"They will most likely make your life hell in the arena." The colour drains from Katniss's face at this remark, way to cheer her up Haymitch.

"Well, they have already promised to do that." I add.

"Very true. What did their faces look like?" Haymitch asks while chuckiling. Katniss starts to smile.

""Shocked. Terrified. Uh, ridiculous some of them" She replies, "One man tripped into a punch bowl."  
>We all start laughing at the image popping into our heads, except Efie who just smiles in response.<p>

"Well it serves them right. It is their job to pay attention to you. And just because you come from district twelve does not mean they should be allowed to ignore you. I'm sorry but that is what I think."  
>She says the last part to know one in particular.<p>

"I'll get a very bad score." Katniss says matter of factly.

"Scores only matter if they are very good; no one pays much attention to the bad or mediocre ones. For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to get a low score on purpose. People use that strategy." Portia says.

"I hope that is how people interpret the four I will probably get." I say, "If that. Really, is anything less impressive than watching a person pick up a heavy ball and chuck it around? One almost landed on my foot!"

Katniss grins at me and continues eating. I just made her smile, my spirits are instantly lifted.

Maybe she _actually _likes me.

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><p><strong>THANKS AND REVIEW!<strong>

**- kEaTaFaN123 :D**


	16. Chapter 16

**HERE IS CHAPTER 16! Yay, I hope you enjoy it and thank you for reading and reviewing! **

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

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><p>After dinner, we go sit in the sitting room to watch the scores announced on television. First they show a photo of the tribute, the same one the show you in the arena, and then they flash the tribute's score below it, simple enough. The career tributes usually naturally get in the eight-to-ten range. most of the other tributes get in the five-to-seven range.<p>

Cato from district two gets a ten along with Thresh, they are the highest scores... so far. I am throughly impressed when little Rue gets a seven, she must of done something good to get that score. Then the moment I've been dreading pops up, my score.

I see my photo pop up, where they get these photos I'm not sure. They never take a photo of you that I know of, and we are all in the same pose. Odd. And I see a flash of an eight.

An eight!

That is much better than I hoped for, I'm in the career range, someone obviously did pay attention then.  
>I silently throw my fist up in the air in triumph.<p>

And then I see Katniss's beautiful face pop up and under it a score of eleven!

_Eleven._

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><p>I'm so happy for her. I mean I'm <em>really <em>happy for her. But I can't help be afraid of the careers killing her first for it, the ones with the higher scores that _aren't _careers usually die first.

Effie lets out a little squeal, and everyone, including me, starts slapping her on the back, cheering and giving our congratulations. But I am still worried about her safety.

She acts like it hasn't sunk in yet, or they are playing some nasty little trick on her.

"There must be a mistake...How did that happen?" Katniss asks.

"I guess they liked your temper. They have got a show to put on. They need some players with some heat in the arena." Haymitch replies.

"Katniss, the girl on fire. Oh, wait until you see your interview dress!" Cinna exclaims.

"More flames?" Katniss guesses.

"I guess you could say that, yes." He replies with a smirk.

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><p>After Katniss and I, congratulate each other one more time, something which was a bit awkward if you ask me. We both head to our rooms, and for once I head to sleep as soon as my head touches the pillow. Must be from all the stress of today.<p>

When I awaken early morning, I shower get dressed and I head to the dining room to find Haymitch already sitting there drinking coffee and a plate of eggs lays before him. On the right side of him I see Effie eagerly waiting for me/us. I sit down without grabbing anything to eat. I have an idea for mine and Katniss's stratergy.

"Haymitch, I want to be coached seperatley to Katniss, I have a idea and I don't want her to know about it...yet." Haymitch just nods his head and smiles, xan he read my mind?

"Alright boy, I won't ask what it is since Katniss is coming down the corridor as we speak." I wait a couple of moments to see if he is correct, and there she is. He may be drunk half the time, but the Games improved his senses and stayed that way.

Katniss only looks at us with confusion for a second until she starts cramming her plate full with breakfast foods, I follow her lead. When we both sit down I exchange glances with Haymitch and Effie. This carries on until Katniss notices, take a big gulp of orange juice and says.

"It's alright guys, I can listen and eat at the same time."

We stay silent still, confusion dawns on Katniss's face and says.

"Seriously guys, what is the matter?"

"Peeta has asked to be coached seperatley from now on." Haymitch answers for me.

Betrayal.

That is the emotion Katniss's face portrays. She surely hates me now, but she can't know about my gameplan. It would ruin everything.

"Good," She says, "So what is the schedule?" She acts fine, but I can see differently in her eyes, this means she must have trusted me in the first place. Damn it Peeta.

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><p>"You'll each have four hours with Effie for presentation and four hours withme for content. You will start with Effie Katniss." Haymitch winks at me when Katniss looks at Effie, it is obvious he is eager to find out my gameplan.<br>I can't blame him, I'm quite proud of it.

Katniss looks horrified that she will have to spend four hours with Effie, personally I'm not looking forward to it either.

When Haymitch leads me to the sitting room he cuts straight to the chase.

"Alright boy, this better be good."

"It is, I promise. Well, you may or may not have noticed...I love Katniss." Surprise fills Haymitch's face.

"How long have you loved her exactly?" He asks.

"Since the first day of school when I was five. My father wanted to marry her mother, but she ran of with Katniss's dad instead. And my father pointed her out to me saying "I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran of with a coal miner, because everytime he sang the birds would fall silent so they could listen" Later in music class she sang, and I was a goner, have been ever since. When she was eleven, she was starving since her father died and she was looking for scraps in our bin, so I burnt two loaves of bread and risked a beating to give them to her." Haymitch almost looked sorry at this, he reached out and touched my shoulder.

"I'm sorry you and Katniss got chosen together. I see what angle you want to play it. Something completley original. I can imagine it now 'the star-crossed lovers from district twelve' I think it could work. Good going boy!"

Haymitch kind? Woah. But I haven't finished. "One thing though, in the arena don't send anything to me, even I am dying. Give everything to Katniss. She is going to win, I'm gonna make sure of it, not matter what."

"You must really love her." I nod, "Alright boy. I'll do it, but you must, I repeat must, say you love her in the interviews. You want people to know about it, it'll surely get enough sponsors or Katniss to win." I nod again in thanks and we carry on about my angle for the interview.

Which is of course hopelessly in love. But I'm already there.

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><p>Me and Katniss switch places, on the way to Effie I pass Katniss, she looks awful, obviously annoyed with Effie. While I know I have a massive smile on my face, she looks hopeful now.<p>

I walk into my room to find Effie already in there.

"Hello Peeta. I'm just going to teach you about smiling, posture and more smiling!" She shrieks.

The next four hours are tough, but bearable, by the end my cheeks hurt like crazy, I don't know how Effie does this all day.

Oh, that's right. She is a crazy person!

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><p><strong>Heehee, I love writing Effie.<strong>

**Did you like how I used the quote 'I'm already there' when Haymitch told Katniss, Peeta was already in love.**

**Sorry but I couldn't resist and it felt right.**

**Anyway, thank you and review if you liked it. :D**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, the story subscribes and the favourite storys. They all motivate me so, thanks! Thank you to Peetafan, glad to know you like the story so much! Here is the next chapter for you.**

**I'm so mad at my ipod! It has now mixed the album artworks, so my safe and sound album artwork has been replaced! NO! And it was so pretty :( Sorry, random, just so mad! STUPID TECHNOLOGY! **

**No offence to Beetee, Wiress or District 3 in general. That is where I was placed in , I wish I had one of those mayor t-shirts. Did you here that the mayors for got their shirts in a packages that smells like roses! That is _too _awesome!**

**I have now allowed PMs so if there is anything you would like to ask personally then, there you go!**

**Disclaimer: Still own nothing, but if SC is reading and you want to make me feel better about my ipod, I don't mind if you hand the Hunger Games to me you know. :) (Hopeful face) I wouldn't mind having tickets to the premiere either.**

**Hehehe, I wish.**

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><p>After we have dinner, in which Katniss still avoids my gaze, obviously still mad at me, I go back to my room and fall asleep, but not for long.<p>

_I'm in a forest, the arena? I run around shouting, "Katniss!" I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about her not being with me. I run around frantically for what seems like hours, but must only be about twenty minutes, until I run into a clearing. It seems empty until I hear a scream for help, Katniss!_

_"Katniss!" I shout, trying to find where the noise came from._

_I finally find her on the floor, under her attacker, I see the man's blonde hair, Cato._

_He tilts is head ever so slightly at me, even though his face and sly grin are covered in blood I am still able to see who it is._

_It isn't Cato._

_It's me._

I wake up to see Effie's face straight in front of me, and like I did with Rye on the day of the reaping,  
>my head collides with her forehead. I wish people would stop waking me up like this!<p>

"Oh Peeta! Look at what you did! I'm gonna be the laughing stock of Panem!" She shrieks.

"You don't need a bruise to do that." I mumble.

"What was that Peeta?"

"Nothing, why did you wake me up anyway?" I ask.

"It's a big, big day! It is the interviews silly! How did you forget?"

"Well, people tend to forget things, when they have just been woken up by someone centimetres away from their faces!"

"Yes well, just get ready! Breakfast in half an hour." We hear screams from down the hall.

"Is that Katniss?" I ask, half-shocked.

"Yes, she tends to have nightmares it seems. Usually wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. I'll go wake her up now!"

"Just don't wake her up the same way. She is already scared, don't want to give her a heartattack as well."

Effie just nods and leaves the room.

That woman is nuts!

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><p>I arrive at the breakfast table with Haymitch already there. He just smiles and nods his head.<br>He must really like my idea! And Rye said I was dumb.

I sit down at the table just as Katniss arrives, she looks a little shocked.

I'm not sure if it is from the nightmare or Effie.

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><p>After breakfast we are all whisked away to get ready for the interviews.<p>

When I enter the preperation room, I'm suprised to find my prep team nowhere in site. _Thank goodness!_

I only see Portia silently waiting on the couch.

"Hello Peeta. Great to see you again!" She says with a calming smile on her face.

"You too." I reply.

"I bet you are nervous for tommorow right?" She asks. Of course, I'm going in the arena tommorow, _with Katniss._

"Yeah, a little bit." I reply with a frown clearly dominating my face. She touches my arm in a calming way.

"I'm sorry, if I had my way the games would never have started in the first place."

"Then, if you don't mind me asking, are you a stylist for them?" I ask.

"I love designing, and being a good stylist helps tributes get sponsors to survive. So in my own little way I'm trying to help tributes survive. I know it isn't a great reason, but the costumes do help in terms of sponsors."

"They do Portia. You and Cinna really helped us with those fire costumes. Thank you." She nods instead of saying 'your welcome'. I like Portia, she doesn't see the games as entertainment, she sees it for what it is.

Murder.

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><p>At 4:00pm, we meet at the disrict twelve elevator. I see Katniss in the most beautiful red dress, everytime she moves, even just slightly, it looks like a wall of flames engulf her whole body. I'm just glad we our costumes aren't exactly alike, I don't think I could pull that ensemble off. Being a guy.<p>

I'm dressed in a black suit with flame details around it. Much better than a dress.

Once we reach the bottom floor, I see all of the other tributes lined up next to the stage. Before we know it, we are all taking our place on the stage opposite the now midnight blue Caesar Flickerman. At least he isn't as scary this year, last year he was crimson and I could swear he was bleeding!

He welcomes the audience like every year and starts doing a few jokes to warm them up for us. They are all cheering, just waiting to see us.

Each tributes goes on the stage, talks with Caesar and leaves. That is it, not much else. We are only allowed three minutes until we have to sit down again, and unlike the training centre the girl goes before the male. Leaving me last. Perfect.

All of the tributes go along with what their looks show perfectly, Glimmer: Sexy. Cato: Cocky. Thresh: Silent but deadly. By the time we get to little Rue, the room falls silent. She looks like a bird just ready to take off, with white fluttery wings already extending as if she is just waiting for the right wind to pick her up and take her away from here.

Caesar goes the extra mile to be extra friendly and comforting to her. But she seems fine, sy, but not overly upset or anything. I'm becoming more and more impressed by this little girl by the second.

Three minutes after Rue graces the stage, Katniss's name is called out. Her and Caesar talk a little bit, he asks her the best thing about the Capitol and Katniss says the lamb and dried plum stew. I quite liked that myself. She spins her dress a little, he asks her about her training score, in which she reveals nothing. She just seems like an average girl. Until she talks about Prim, in which she goes into a protective mode.

Her time is up and I'm called onto the stage.

It's now or never, I just hope it goes well.

I see Haymitch nod to me from the stands, he'll kill me if I mess it up.

"Hello Peeta."

"Hello Caesar."

"So how are you faring here in the Capitol, what is yyour favourite thing so far?"

"Fine, my favourite thing? The scents in the showers. Tell me do I smell like roses to you?" I put my arm towards him to smell.

"Oh you do!" He exclaims, "I just tried a new scent. I is supposed to smell like pine." I smell his arm.

"Unfortunatley, I have never smelled pine. The wood is closed off in district twelve."

"Oh of course. To be honest I don't know what pine smells like either!"

We keep talking, throwing jokes back and forth until he asks what I was hoping for.

"So Peeta. Handsome fella like you, do you have a lady waiting for you back home?"

I shake my head, glad where this is heading.

"Really! Is there anyone you like?"

"Yes there is, but I'm afraid she hasn't noticed me until the reaping."

"Does she have a fella back home."

"Not that I know of, but a lot of guys like her."

"Well, this is what you do. You wil the Games and she'll be so impressed she will pratically run to you."

"I don't think that will work in my case."

"Why ever not?"

"Be- be- because she came here with me."

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><p><strong>Woo, that was a toughy to write!<strong>

**Hope you all enjoyed that, once again sorry for my rant about technology earlier.**

**If you liked review, pm, story alert or favourite story!**

**Thanks,**

**Keatafan123**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I'm sorry i have taken so long, and I'm sorry this is SUPER short. I just have had major writers block, and I wanted to be the KEATA fight and then the 'little' chat on the roof in the same chapter. Which starts directly after tis part. So that is my -not very good- excuse. **

**Thank you for SO many reviews! You guys are the reason I write. I really wish I wrote all your names in the author notes everytime, to show my thanks like I do in my new story 'A life changing book', so everyone who has reviewed THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

**DISCLAIMER: OWN NOTHING AND IF YOU SAY OTHERWISE I'LL SEND THRESH ON YA! BOOM! **

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><p>Everyone in the audience, including Caesar, gasps.<p>

A tribute 'liking' another, is unheard of. But that doesn't mean it hasn't happened.  
>Just simply no one has ever had the guts to say it. But they didn't think of using their love as a strategy. <em>I <em>did.

Take that mother!

During the commotion, including cries and plenty of shouts, I glance at Katniss, only to see her blushing and her head faced towards her knees. _She'll hate me after this, it's always been obvious she wants no romance in her life._ But I had to let her know before I die, I won't live long enough for her to be mad at me anyway, it's not like I expect her to love me back.

But that _would _be a bonus.

"Oh, that is a piece of bad luck." He says with true sympathy. At least _someone_ feels sorry for me, all Katniss will do is _blame _me. I'm so looking forward to that!

The crowd is murmuring in agreement, some are even sending agonizing cries. Wow, make that more than one who feels sorry for me, seems my plan is working. Hopefully with my help Katniss can make it out alive. I just hope Haymitch sticks to our plan and doesn't get dead drunk.

That wouldn't help her chances.

"It's not good." I agree with a slight shake of my head.

"Well, I don't think any of us can blame you. It'd be hard not to fall for that young lady." I nod slightly and glance at Katniss who seems to have blushed more at this comment. If I didn't know better it would seem like she likes me too.

"She didn't know?" Caesar asks. I shake my head.

"Not until now." I reply with a sad expression on my face. Katniss looks up and focuses her grey eyes on my blue eyes, her blush is unmistakeable, if this wasn't a serious occasion, I would probably be jumping up and down with giddiness like a little child.

"Wouldn't you love to pull her back and get her response to this?" Caesar asks, a roar comes from the audience. No, she could say something to ruin this, she can'-

"Sadly, rules are rules and Katniss Everdeen's has been well spent. Well, best of luck to you Peeta Mellark. And I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts go with yours." Caesar says, it takes all I can not to breath a sigh of relief. The crowds go wild as I start to stand up from the interview seat.

I choke out a quiet "Thank you" and sit back on my chair next to Katniss, whose blush has died down along with the crowd's cries. We stand up for the anthem and I see every camera dominated on us like the chariot rides.

I just hope this doesn't backfire on me.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I know it's been a while, yeah... sorry about that! =^_^= But I haven't had much inspiration lately, so to make up for it, here is a long-ish chapter for you. This is the last chapter before the arena, were it will become better as I'll have to make it up with my imagiantion! If you guys enjoy it please review, I'm going to wait till 60 reviews before I upload again so...**

**R&R!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING, ****Though I can arrange otherwise . Just kidding, I could never create something so brilliant as the Hunger Games.**

**ONLY 27 DAYS TILL THE MOVIE! **

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><p>Once the anthem has finished we leave the stage and get into the training centre's lobby.<br>I'm sad to see Katniss go out of her way just to get in a different elevator to me.

This is _not _good.

I've heard about Katniss and her mother. She is the queen of holding grudges, and tomorrow we are going into the arena with twenty two others seeking our blood and pathetic pleas for mercy.

_This_ should be interesting.

I end up in the elevator with Cato, Clove, Glimmer, Marvel and the female tribute from district four. How I ended up here, I don't know.

Suddenly, Cato punches the stop button and whistles at me, "Hey lover-boy, you've seen district four male right?" He asks. I nod, not understanding why I'm asked that question.

"Well I knew him back in the district and... let's just say he isn't skilled enough to be in our alliance." Talia, the district four tribute tells me.

"So..." I say trailing off.

"We want you in our alliance lover-boy." Cato growls with frustration.

"And why would I do that?" I ask with a disgusted looked plastered on my face.

"Well," Clove begins, "We won't kill you straight away, we promise not to kill Katniss _and _your more likely to taste the blood of our fellow tributes." She says with a scary grin.

I mull it over, would they keep to their word? Would both Katniss and I be spared from their dark clutches? Probably not, but it is the best I've got.

"Alright." Their eyes brighten up at this, "But you have to promise me you won't kill Katniss."

"We promise." Marvel says, speaking for the first time. If only I saw the glances they shared after that 'promise' was made.

XxX

I've only just stepped out of the elevator before someone pushes me, making me lose my balance and fall on top of a urn in the corner. May the wrath of Katniss begin.

The urn immediately shatters into a hundred pieces and I realise blood is flowing freely from my hands. My vision becomes blurry as I locate Katniss towering over me.

"What was that for!" I half ask, half shout.

"You had no right! No right to say those things about me!" She shouts back. What things? I said _I _had a major crush on her. Not her with me.

I see scary black dots beginning to line my vision as the elevator doors open, revealing a shocked Effie, Haymitch, Cinna and Portia.

"What is going on!" Shrieks Effie, obviously in hysteria, "Did you fall?" She asks me.

"Yeah, after _she shoved_ me." I say, looking pointedly at Katniss. She just death glares back at me.

"You shoved him?" Haymitch asks her.

"This was your idea, wasn't it? Turning me into some kind of fool in front of the whole country!" She shouts at Haymitch.

"It was my idea." I say while wincing from the piece of pottery shard leaving my skin.  
>"Haymitch just helped me with it."<p>

"Yes Haymitch is very helpful, to you!" She says to me.

"You _are_ a fool." Haymitch tells her with disgust, "Do you really think he hurt you? The boy just gave you something you never could have achieved on your own."

"He made me look weak!" She exclaims, I wince at her words.

"He made you look desirable. And let's face it, you can use all the help you can get in that department. You were as romantic as dirt until he said he wanted you. Now they all do. You're all they are talking about. The star-crossed lovers of district twelve!" He tells her with a pointed finger.

"But we are not the 'star-crossed lovers of district twelve'" She exclaims gesturing to me.

Haymitch grabs her shoulders and pins her against a wall, I would get up and help her if it wasn't for the buckets of blood leaving my hands.

"Who cares? It is all just a big show. It is all how you are perceived. The most I could say about you after your interview was that you were nice enough, although that in it's self is a miracle. Now I can say you are a heartbreaker. Oh, oh, oh how the boys back home fall longingly at your feet. Which do _you _think will get you more sponsors?" He asks.  
>I see Katniss look a bit dizzy, the alcohol no doubt. She pushes him of her and steps away.<p>

Cinna walks over and puts an arm around her, "He's right Katniss."

"I should have been told, so I didn't look so stupid." She says, head in her hands.

"No your reaction was perfect. If you had known, it would not have read as real." Portia says in her naturally calming tone.

"She's just worried about her boyfriend." I say before I can shut my mouth.

"Gale is not my boyfriend!" She replies with a obvious blush on her face.

"Whatever," I say, "But I bet he's smart enough to know a bluff when he sees it. Besides, _you _didn't say you loved _me. _So why does it matter?" I look at her with a questioning glance.

She takes a moment to think it over. Her anger clearly disappearing from her face.

"After he said he loved me, did you think I could be in love with him too?" She asks, it takes all my willpower to not pump my fist in the air.

"I did." Portia starts, "The way you avoided looking at the cameras, the blush." The others chime in all nodding their heads and saying a few words each.

"You're golden, sweetheart. You're going to have sponsors lined up around the block." Haymitch says with a small smile. She looks nervously at me.

"I'm sorry I shoved you." She says in a small voice.

"It doesn't matter," I reply, "Although it technically is illegal." Haymitch sends me a roll of the eyes.

"Are your hands alright?" She asks.

"They'll be alright." I reply.

The smells coming from the dining room become to much and Haymitch obviously thinks so as well.

"Come on, let us eat." He says. Everyone nods their heads in agreement. I didn't realise Cinna and Portia helped me of the floor until I am gently pushed toward the dining room door. Well, until my hands start bleeding worse than ever and Portia leads me to the medical room.

We arrive at the room to see the nurse sleeping with a puddle of drool on her desk. Portia signals me to stay there whilst she wakes the red-haired lady. I take this time to look around the small room.

A white counter and chair, currently occupied by the snoring nurse, in the corner, two white beds on my left and right, with a bedside table in-between them both, a few medicines and around the room and finally a small television on the ceiling above the now awoken nurse.

"Oh, hello. Sorry, how may I help you, Mr. Peeta Mellark?" It takes only a second to get rid of the shock from her knowing my name, but of course the whole Capitol knows my name.

"I fell on an urn and the shards cut into my skin." I say, lifting my hands for her to see.

"Ah yes, I see. Well just sit down and I'll get that checked and wrapped up for you." She says with a smile. I can't help but notice the lack of the well known Capitol accent, she must be from one of the districts.

"Thank you." I say sitting on the far right bed.

XxX

The stitches turn out to be less painful than in the bakery, more experience I guess.

"Alright Mr. Mellark, you are all done." She says after the last knot of thread is cut.

"Thank you." I reply with a nod. Portia walks me back to the dining room, which is filled with avoxes picking up bowls of pink liquid. I am kind of glad I didn't have to eat that.

As I take my place at the table I see Katniss gazing guiltily at gauzed hands. She must be thinking the same thing as me,

_Won't last long with useless hands._

Lucky for me, I'm used to working with injuries. Ever time my brothers and I complained about burns or cuts to our mother, she threatened to hit us if we didn't work still. I'll just use that frame of mind, but instead of the fear of being hit. I'll use the fear of being murdered.

Once dinner is finished we watch the interview recaps. Glimmer wears an almost see through gown, much like her mentor, Cashmere's dress five years ago. Looking at Glimmer makes me recall today's earlier events. _Am I really trusting _career _tributes? _If I want Katniss safe I'll have too.

I take a sideways glance at Katniss, she really doesn't know the effect she can have. I barely know her and I'm about to risk my life in the arena for her. But she is worth a thousand of my deaths.

I only finish my thoughts to watch Katniss's interview. Her stunning red dress, her beautiful, although fake, smile, the way her eyes light up when she laughs. Before I know it her time is up and I hear Katniss intake a sharp breath as I come on stage.

Caesar and I carry on our banter until the 'girlfriend' question. I say my declaration of love, and automatically Katniss's blushing face is showed on screen. If I didn't know better I would have thought she felt the same way. Like _that _would happen.

Once the anthem plays a silence fills the room. Tomorrow we will be awaken at dawn and taken to the arena, where only one of the twenty four entering will leave again. And that one _will _be Katniss.

XxX

As we get up off the couch, Effie takes both our hands into her manicured ones. She goes on about how we are the best tributes she has ever received, and seems genuinely sad to see us leave as she has real tears in her eyes. Than to cover up her human feelings up she jokes about maybe being bumped up to another district. Typical Effie. She gives us both a kiss on the cheek and hurries out the room. I'm almost sad when she leaves, it'll be the last time I see her crazy pink hair again.

Haymitch crosses his arms and looks us both over.

"Any final words of advice?" I ask him.

"When the gong sounds, get the hell out of there. You're neither to go up to that bloodbath at the cornucopia. Just clear out, put as much distance between you and the other tributes, and find a any source of water. Got it?" We both nod our heads.

"And after that?" Katniss asks.

"Stay alive." He says in a serious tone compared to the last time this advice was given. We nod once again. Katniss leaves the room and I stay to speak with Portia.

"Portia?"

"Yes Peeta?"

"I need you to promise me something. In the arena I may do something that will seem unforgivable. But please try and convince Haymitch I'm doing it all for good reasons."

"What do you plan on doing Peeta?" She asks with clear confusion.

"I'm not going to tell you, just please make sure he doesn't hate me."

"Alright Peeta, I promise." She says with tears forming in her eyes.

"Thank you." She pulls me in for a hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She kisses my cheek and leaves. Cinna must have left during our conversation. I head to my room not knowing what tomorrow will hold.

XxX

After showering and changing, I know I won't be able to sleep so I head to the roof, the one place of solitude in the whole training centre.

After staring at the streets for hours someone behind me speaks.

"You should be getting some sleep." I instantly start to turn around to look at her, but decide against it and shake my head to clear of any thoughts at the moment.

"I didn't want to miss the party. It is for us, after all" I reply keeping my eyes peeled on the streets and people below. She comes up beside me and peers over the rail.

"Are they in costumes?" She asks keeping her eyes down.

"Who could tell with all the costumes they wear here?" I answer,"Couldn't sleep?" I ask, seeing as that's the reason I'm up here in the first place.

"I couldn't turn my mind off." She replies, still looking away from me. I do my best to hide my sigh.

"Thinking of home?"

"No." She says a bit guiltily, "All I can do is wonder about tomorrow. Which is pointless of course."  
>She turns to me and stares at my bandaged hands.<p>

"I really am sorry about your hands." She says, moving her gaze to my face.

"It doesn't matter Katniss." I say in a defeated tone, "I've never been a contender in these games anyway."

"That's no way to be thinking." She replies.

"Why not? It's true. My best hope is to not disgrace myself and..." She cuts me off.

"And what?" She says.

I pause for a moment, not really knowing what to say. I can't tell her about my plans to join the careers, she wouldn't understand and hate me even more than she does now. I'll just have to say the truth, but steering clear of some points.

"I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?" I ask, and it's true. I don't want to turn into some killing beast, I certainly don't want to go crazy like that cannibal the other year. I just want to die as myself.

She shakes her head slightly. "I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster I'm not." She bites her lip as she thinks, looking down as if she is guilty to some other thoughts. She finally looks up at me.

"So you mean you won't kill anyone?" She asks, _only for you_, I think.

"No, when the time comes, I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else." I answer truthfully,  
>"I can't go down without a fight. Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to...to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their games."<p>

"But your not. None of us are. That's how the games work Peeta." She says, clearly not understanding at all. I just wish I could confide in her, take a bit of weight off my shoulders. But I can't, it would make everything so much worse.

"OK, but within that framework, there's still you, there's still me. Don't you see?" I ask, almost desperate for her to understand me this one time.

"A little. Only... no offence, but who cares, Peeta?" She asks.

"I do." I say pointing at myself, "I mean what else am I allowed to care about at this point." Nearly reaching the point of shouting. Blue on grey, demanding a good answer. She notices this look and takes a step back.

"Care about what Haymitch said. About staying alive." She replies, getting angry at this stage as well.

I smile at her, in a non-friendly way, "OK. Thanks for the tip, sweetheart." I just wish she knew how she drives me mad, half the time I can barely understand her, the other half I can't help but admire every aspect of her and who she is.

She looks shocked by my comment, but I can see her blood boiling as she speaks, "Look, if you want to spend the last hours of your life planning some noble death in the arena, than that's your choice. I want to spend mine back in district twelve."

I scoff slightly and look away at her, worrying my cold mask will stick, "Wouldn't surprise me if you do. Give my mother my best when you go back, would you?" I ask.

"Count on it." She says while turning around to leave. I desperately want to reach my hand out and hold her in my arms, but I can't, the more she dislikes me, the easier it will be for her to see me die.

Tomorrow I'll be led to certain death.

* * *

><p><strong>:D<strong>

**-Keatafan123**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I know it's been ages, **

* * *

><p>I walk back to my room and attempt to sleep, knowing that the slightest bit of fatigue in the arena could cost my life. Seeing as I'm awaken by Portia in the morning, I take that as a success. Feeling slightly refreshed, I instantly hope I get to see Katniss one more time before the arena.<p>

Things don't always work out the way I planned.

I'm taken to the roof and placed on a ladder that instantly freezes me to the bones. The Capitol makes even climbing a ladder horrible. As soon as I'm on the hovercraft, a needle is inserted in my arm. I always wondered how they knew where the tributes were in the arena.

After denying plenty of offers for food and water, we arrive in the catacombs under the soon-to-be battlefield. Portia and I walk to my prep room, only this time it is just her with me. She picks up a package from a chair in the room and opens it to find my clothes for the next few weeks or possibly seconds.

A plain black top, light brown cargo pants, boots, thermal socks and a heat reflecting, water-proof jacket.

"Expect some cold nights, Peeta." Portia warns me. I just nod in answer, the whole surviving the cold is not up in my alley. I've always lived next to warm ovens, not the cold forbidden forests beyond district twelve like Katniss. She must be ecstatic with the apparel. Just like I've seen her with the squirrels, so many times.

Portia asks me to test my clothing, and I find that it fits perfectly. The boots have memory foam like the beds in the Capitol, and my foot is instantly fitted specifically to the inside. Perfect for running quickly.

"It's all good." I say.

"Perfect." She replies with a ghost of a smile.

We sit down for the next ten minutes with my hands in Portia's, sipping as much water as I can.

Before I know it, a Capitol citizen is shrieking for us to take our places.

Portia leads me over to the glass tube and gives me a kiss on the cheek, this will be the last time I ever see her again.

"Remember my promise Portia." I say.

"I will, good luck Peeta. May the odds be ever in your favour." She replies, and with that I am lifted into the arena.

XxX

I stand as straight as I can, show them I deserve to be with the careers. The bright light blinds me for a few valuable seconds, until my eyes re-focus just in time for the legendary Claudius Templesmith to start the games.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games begin!" And that's it, sixty seconds till all hell breaks loose. I take this time to survey my surroundings.

A forest. Of course.

This year is _made _for Katniss. But I'm glad to see a lake and field as well as the forest. At least Katniss will have plenty of places to run and hide.

I hope.

I look at all the tributes around me, desperately trying to find a glimpse of a brown braid. And I do, four tributes to my left. I see her looking at the mountains of survival kits and weapons in front of us, the bounty overflowing the cornucopia. But I see her eyes land on a bow and arrow on top of a bundle of blankets.

Right inside the cornucopia.

I can't let her attempt to get it, much to dangerous. I try to catch her line of sight and after thirty seconds of failing, she turns her head in my direction. I shake my head at her, awarded with a confused look.

The gong rings.

May the Hunger Games begin.

XxX

I jump off of my previous place of safety. Right into the bloodbath. Cato whistles at me and shouts,

"Hey lover-boy, you coming or not?" I nod my head and run in his direction. I look around urgently, hoping the careers think I'm looking for an easy kill.

But of course I'm looking for Katniss.

I'm not sure whether to be relived or frightened, by the fact she has a knife in her backpack. She doesn't seem to be in pain, so I assume it is _just _in the backpack. Not her actual back.

And I'm especially glad to see her running into the forest, away from the immediate danger. And to the one place in which she has trained to survive in.

I hear screams of pain and agony all around me, but I'm still looking towards the forest, I hear footsteps pounding on the ground towards me, but I only look for sounds indicating Katniss's safety, I'm broken out of my trance-like state by Cato,

"Hey Lover-Boy, come help with the supplies yeah? We didn't ask you to come, just so you could slack off." Cato says to me. I realise I've been staring blankly for awhile, as only the careers are left, along with the eleven dead bodies on the ground, all with knives in their stomachs, or twisted necks.

"Yeah, you have been staring into the woods for ten minutes." Clove shouts.

"Oh, I um... I was just... I thought I saw movement, must have just been an animal." I say, hoping to get away with the lie. They look at me sceptically, but don't complain.

Thank goodness.

I walk over and start moving the supplies towards the base near the lake. After about two hours of heavy lifting we are finally finished, I'm knackered but the others look like they were just was getting warmed up.

It's official I'm being killed first.

But as long as I'm protecting Katniss, I don't care, her safety is all I care about. Although, it would be nice to see her one more time before I die. It just hopefully won't be her dying right in front of me.


	21. Chapter 21

After an hour long, heated argument between Glimmer and Cato about whether to rest or hunt, I personally was on Glimmer's side for that one, Cato ended up winning because he is the 'Alpha' in this situation. Which means we are currently running through the forest, rather loudly, searching for any tributes that are so deaf they haven't heard us, as of yet.

The district three male on the other hand, was lucky enough to stay behind, as he told Cato he could keep watch and even think of a way to keep our supplies protected. Lucky soul.

XxX

Once again, after three hours of non-stop running, Glimmer attempts to persuade Cato to stop and rest for a little while, surprisingly Cato grudgingly agrees and it takes all of my might not to drop to my knees and thank him and kiss the ground he steps on. I think that would buy me a one-way ticket to the ground.

I feel glad to not have encountered any tributes yet, as I still think my weak stomach wouldn't be able to handle it, especially when it is a kill at the one of the career's hands. I can already tell they like giving long, slow and agonizing deaths to their victims-something I can hardly come to grips with, let alone administrate myself.

"Hey, Lover-boy. We were kind enough to allow you into the alliance, so tell us your strengths," Cato says to me.

"Number one, my name is Peeta-" I'm cut off by Cato.

"I can call you whatever the hell I want to, Lover-boy, so if I were you, I would accept it and not be on the receiving end of a broken neck." He shouts, I gulp and quickly resume.

"I'm used to carrying heavy objects, I'm good with a knife, and I'm good with camouflage." I tell him in the most confident voice I can muster.

"Hmph. Of course you're good at camouflage, you're not exactly the most masculine person, hell, I think Katniss' more masculine. Let me guess, she wears the trousers in the relationship," he says in a mocking voice. I just stay quiet and glare from a distance.

"Ooh, looks like I've made Lover-boy upset, are you going cry?" he says in a sickly sweet voice.

"I-" I start, but am soon, once again, cut off by Cato.

"No time for that, I see smoke, north-west, I do like a fire with a side of tribute in the evening." And with that, he's running off in the direction of the smoke, with the rest of us soon following. Guess I jinxed the whole me not seeing a tribute die yet. I just hope it's quick for them.

XxX

We jog in that general direction for around half an hour, until the smell of smoke lingers in the air, and Cato tells us to be quiet. I stay towards the back of the group, as I'd rather not see whoever it is, slashed to pieces. I can tell we're drawing extremely close as an orange glow paints the surrounding area. If I weren't in this situation, I would stop and marvel the colour, as it's very close to a personal favourite of mine. Admiring the colour is the last thing on my mind, however, as I see Cato halt to a stop, having arrived at his destination: the female tribute from nine.

I know her scream will haunt my dreams until the day I die. A day which, thankfully, may come very soon. I don't think I can live with that horrific sound constantly hounding my thoughts, and the guilt that comes from hearing the last sound that girl will ever make.

I hear them checking for any useful objects. By the tone of their voices, I can tell they haven't found anything useful. As they do, I quickly look at the surrounding area and I decide the arena is doing no good for my head, as I swear I see a glimpse of a brown braid and an orange backpack. In a way I'm slightly glad, her being near the dead tribute means the others won't suspect anyone else to be here.

Unless they spot her, of course.

I'm snapped out of my reverie by the career's bickering.

"Hey! Guys, listen! Shouldn't the cannon have gone off by now?" Clove says, getting the others' attention.

"I'd say so, there's nothing stopping them from coming in," Marvel says.

"Maybe someone should go back and check," Glimmer suggests, angering Cato.

"I struck her right in the chest, she should have died in seconds," Cato says, his temper increasing at an alarming rate.

"Then why hasn't the cannon gone off, Cato?" Marvel shouts at Cato.

"I said I killed her!" Cato shouts back.

I decide to interfere.

"We're wasting time! I'll go finish her and then we'll move on!"

I go towards the nearly-dead body, but not before I make out a rustling sound coming from the tree Katniss was in. She probably hates me right now. At least it'll be easier for me to die this way.

XxX

I reach the girl in a matter of minutes. At first I think she's actually dead, but then I see her crack her eyelids open a peek. She, not surprisingly, looks scared to see me. I quickly grab her hand and shush her, I rub my thumb across her knuckles and she smiles as her eyes start to droop, I refuse to hurt her anymore so I stay in that position until I'm sure she's gone. When she is, I quickly kiss her forehead, retreat from her lifeless figure and walk towards the rest of the careers.

"Was she dead?" Cato asks.

"She is now," I reply, and the cannon goes off, representing the death of the girl from nine.

"Let's head back to camp," Cato says. I realise the first sign of dawn is appearing, so I nod with the others and start walking with them. I hope I don't get allocated first watch.

XxX

I do.

"Lover-boy, you take first watch. Glimmer, Clove, Marvel, and you two," he looks at district four and three disgustedly, "Set up your sleeping bags and get some rest, we got some tributes to hunt," Cato says with a devilish look on his face.

Looks like I'm staying up for awhile.

I decide to pass the time by filling up some water bottles by the lake. I walk over, putting some iodine drops in there as well. I see a bush of lilac-coloured berries, and decide they look much more appetizing than the pre-packaged food at the cornucopia. And this way, Cato won't have a paddy if he found I ate something from the pile. I walk over and pick a handful, I'm just about to put it in my mouth when I hear a sound from the tree behind it.

"Peeta! Peeta!" I look up and find Rue from district eleven.

"Rue? What are you doing here? Are you crazy? The careers will kill you in a second if they spot you," I say in a hushed tone, hoping the light-sleepers won't hear me.

"I know, but I'm good at hiding. I saw you about to eat the berries and had to stop you. They're called Litrix, the juices slowly break down your stomach until there's nothing, in my district we nicknamed them 'Lilac Poison'," she tells me, looking at the berries the whole time. I'm glad I didn't eat them, I rather like my stomach intact.

"Oh, well thank you," I say with a small smile, she just nods and jumps from tree to tree until she disappears.

If only I knew how much I would thank her later on in the games.


End file.
